BELAGAVI: Seven daily wage labourers were killed and 14 others injured after a multi-utility vehicle carrying them from one village to another rolled down Kalyal bridge near Kabalapur in Belagavi taluk on Sunday morning.
The deceased were identified as Adiveppa Sajali (42), Basavaraj Dalavi (35), Basangouda Hanamannavar (51), Akash Gasti (22) and Fakeerappa Harijan (51), all residents of Akkatengerhal, Basavaraj Sanadi (40), a resident of Mallapur and Krishna Khanduri (36) of Dasanatti village of Gokak taluk.
The labourers were working at two railway track-doubling sites at Desur railway junction and near Sambra village in Belagavi taluk. They used to reach work sites and return every day travelling in a Cruiser vehicle from their villages.
Racing may have led to accident
On Sunday too, they were travelling in the MUV early in the morning when the vehicle met with an accident. The injured are Rudrappa Khanduri, Kiran Kalasannavar, Kantesh Malagi, Ulivappa Baddimani, Ramachandra Bichagatti, Raju Karaguppi, Durgappa Sajali, Rudrappa Patil, Shivanand Musalmari, Lagamanna Holekar, Anand Khandoori, Parashuram Patil and driver Bheemappa Kundaragi. Kiran Kalasannavar has been shifted to a private hospital as his condition is critical.
Sources said labourers from Akkatangerhal village of Gokak taluk travel in three MUVs to reach work sites. The drivers race against each other which might have led to the accident, they added. On Sunday, Bheemappa, who was at the wheel, was driving rashly, causing the accident. The vehicle was completely damaged and the police had to deploy a crane to pull out the wreckage from the canal. Belagavi Police chief Dr MB Boralingayya and other senior officials visited the spot.
Card becomes fact or in compensation amount
Bengaluru: Following the accident in Belagavi, CM Basavaraj Bommai has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of the deceased on Sunday. A little later, Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar clarified that of the nine victims, five of the construction labourers in the road accident, who have Construction Board card, will get Rs 5 lakh each.
The families of those who do not possess a card will only get Rs 3 lakh each. Asked about this difference in compensation amounts he clarified to TNIE that those who do not possess the Construction Board card, there is no provision to pay Rs 5 lakh each hence we are paying only Rs 3 lakh each.