MANDYA: Nine persons were killed and at least 15 persons were injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling, a Tempo Traveller, rolled into a roadside gorge after hitting a protection wall near Halagur village in Malavalli taluk of Mandya on Thursday.
The incident occurred when the Tempo carrying more than 30 persons was returning from Basaveshwara Swamy Temple atop Basavana Betta. The vehicle rolled thrice before landing on ground.
The deceased have been identified as Surabhi, 5, H V Basavarajappa, 72, Prema, 70, Roopa, 30, Susheelamma, 60, Lakshmamma, 40, Shweta, 22, and Mahadeva, 40. The deceased belonged to Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts.
Negligence of the driver — who is absconding — is said to be the reason for the mishap. The driver lost control while going down the hill following which the vehicle veered into the roadside gorge. While five persons were killed on the spot, the other four breathed their last in hospitals in Malavalli and Mandya.