Three tourists killed as car crashes into stationary lorry near Tumakuru

Tumakuru: Three tourists from Bengaluru were killed on the spot and three others injured after their car rammed into a stationary lorry on National Highway-48 near Nelahal village in Tumakuru taluk early Monday morning, police said.

The accident occurred while the victims were returning to Bengaluru after a leisure trip. The deceased were travelling in a Maruti Ertiga car, which crashed into the rear of a parked lorry at high speed. The impact was so severe that the front portion of the car was completely mangled, killing three occupants instantly. According to the police, one of the injured is in a critical condition, while two others sustained minor injuries. All the injured were rushed to Tumakuru District Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had travelled to popular coastal destinations including Gokarna, Murudeshwar and Udupi. The accident occurred in the early morning hours when they were heading back to Bengaluru. “The car appears to have hit a stationary lorry from behind. Overspeeding and poor visibility during early morning hours could be possible reasons, but the exact cause will be determined after investigation,” a senior police officer said. Following the accident, traffic on NH-48 was disrupted for some time as rescue operations were carried out and the damaged vehicles were removed from the highway. Local residents and passersby helped police and emergency personnel in shifting the injured from the wrecked car.

Tumakuru Superintendent of Police Ashok KV visited the spot along with officials from the Kora police station and conducted an inspection. He instructed officers to register a case and carry out a thorough investigation into the incident. The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to the Tumakuru District Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination. Police said the identities of the victims would be officially confirmed after informing their families.

The incident once again highlights the dangers posed by stationary heavy vehicles on highways, especially during night and early morning hours. Police have urged drivers to remain alert, adhere to speed limits and exercise caution while travelling on highways to prevent such fatal accidents. Further investigation is underway.