Tamil Nadu road accident shatters city family

BENGALURU: An employee of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Sangana Gouda, and his son Praveen, were among seven people killed in a road accident that occurred early on Saturday morning at the Rajapalayam-Sengottai national highway in Tamil Nadu.

Gouda, along with, Mahesh, Tara and Lakshminarayan, were all employed at the Yelahanka depot of BMTC. Gouda joined the depot in 2006 as a mechanic and was popular among colleagues.
Praveen also succumbed to injuries. Gouda’s wife Shanta suffered serious injuries.

On Saturday evening, a pall of gloom descended on Gouda’s residence in Vidyaranyapura. “They left the city on Wednesday morning and were on a pilgrimage, visiting temples. They were to return on Sunday night. Praveen, was in class 6 and was a brilliant student,” said Manjunath, a friend of the family. Other neighbours described Gouda, his wife and son as a cheerful family who spoke with everyone in the neighbourhood.

“Occasionally, they would make such trips with other friends when their child had summer vacations,” another neighbour added.

Gouda originally hails from Basavana Bagewadi in Vijayapura and his body, along with that of his son, will be taken to his village on Sunday for the last rites.

“The family was very friendly. His colleagues at the depot found out about the accident this afternoon,” said Mahadesh, another neighbour.