BENGALURU: An elderly couple was killed on the spot after their speeding car, driven by a driver, crashed into a convoy vehicle of Pejawar seer Vishvesha Theertha near Hosakote on the city’s outskirts on Sunday morning. The car driver, and two members of the seer’s retinue, including an assistant sub-inspector of police, sustained injuries in the mishap. The seer and some others staff members were in another vehicle and were not injured.
The police have booked the car driver on charges of reckless driving, and he is recovering in hospital. ASI Shambaiah, attached to Hosakote police, and a mutt staffer, who escaped with injuries, were also admitted to a private hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Ramakrishnaiah, an 85-year-old jewellery shop owner, and his wife Suvarna Sulochana (81), residents of Battalahalli village in Chintamani. Their car driver was Nagendra (32).
A senior police officer said the incident occurred around 7.45am on the highway at Karapanahalli. The Pejawar mutt seer was going to Chintamani to attend a function, while the couple was on the way to Hosakote in an Indigo car to attend a naming ceremony at a relative’s house. Nagendra was driving the car at a high speed and lost control, crashing it into a convoy vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
The couple was killed on the spot and the driver was thrown out of the vehicle due to the impact of the collision.
Police said Nagendra will be arrested as soon as he is discharged from the hospital.
Nandagudi police, who rushed to the spot on being alerted about the mishap, towed the vehicle away from the busy highway.
Nagendra made a statement before the police, confessing that he was over-speeding. ASI Shambaiah gave the complaint regarding the incident, and further investigations are on.