Nine people died in two separate road accidents between Saturday and Sunday.
Five people died and 16 others were injured in a serial accident involving an NEKRTC bus, a Canter truck and a Bolero jeep at BG Kere Cross on state highway 19 of Molakalmuru taluk in the district on Sunday morning.
The dead have been identified as Nayaz (30), Bhaskar (25), Shan (25), Haneef (28) all travelling in the Canter truck and the driver of NEKRTC bus Ningappa (48). Sixteen out of 31 passengers travelling in the bus suffered injuries out of which three have been admitted at Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences for further treatment and rest are being treated at Molakalmuru taluk hospital.
Superintendent of police Y S Ravikumar, who visited the accident spot, said that the truck coming from the opposite director collided with the NEKRTC bus at 2-30 am at BG Kere Cross. A Bolero jeep that was behind it behind the bus dashed it from the rear, leading to the series of accidents.
The NEKRTC bus was on its way to Shahapur in Gulbarga district, while the truck filled with fish was on its way to Tumkur from Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh. Ravikumar said poor visibility conditions and lack of proper signals on the road were reasons for the accident. The Molakalmuru police have registered a complaint and are investigating.
In Gulbarga, four people died when a Fortuner car in which they were travelling turned turtle near Kudrewadimukha on Humnabad road on Saturday evening. The deceased were identified as Venkatesh Shreemandal (26), Mallinath Kattimani (28), Gajendra Shakti Mattimadu (20) and Anilkumar Lakshman (27). While the first two died on the spot, the latter died en route to the hospital. They were heading to Gulbarga from Humnabad. One passenger, Anand Kamanur, has been admitted to a private hospital. All the deceased and the injured belong to Gulbarga city. SP Amith Singh and other police officers visited the spot. Kamalapur police registered a case in this regard.