2 die, Shiradi Ghat closed for 10 days

HASSAN: Two persons died and a tanker driver was reported missing in two separate road accidents in the Shiradi Ghat section late on Tuesday. With fresh landslides being reported on the entire stretch and several accidents, Sakleshpur police have closed the national highway for the next 10 days.

In one accident on Wednesday, a tanker carrying LPG fell into a stream from a height of about 200ft in Doddatappale village, Sakleshpur taluk. The tanker cleaner, identified as Venkatesh from Raichur, died on the spot. Police have launched a search operation for the missing driver, Santosh, 32, a resident of Anagol village in Kikkeri.

The tanker was on its way from Mangaluru to Bengaluru and was nearing Doddatappale village on national highway 75 at around 10pm when locals told the driver that the road was closed following landslides. Locals said Santosh decided turn around and reach Bengaluru via Charmadi Ghat. While taking the turn from the right, he lost control over the vehicle.

In another accident, a driver died when he was run over by his own truck. Police said Sundar had halted his truck due to traffic jam. He had engaged the hand break and had alighted from the truck to see what was happening. However, the hand break failed and the truck began to move. Sundar attempted to jump inside the cabin to halt the vehicle, but lost his balance, fell and was run over.

In Kodagu district, an elderly woman was electrocuted when she accidentally touched a live wire near her house. Ummavva,76, a resident of Udathmotte near Madikeri, was returning home after working in an estate. The electric wire had snapped and had fallen on ground due to rain.