TUMAKURU: Two youths died on the spot and four were injured when an SUV in which former minister and Chikkamagaluru BJP MLA C T Ravi were travelling ploughed through a group of youth at Urkehalli Gate on Bengaluru-Mangaluru NH-75 in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The visibly shell shocked MLA stopped his car and alighted to console the survivors only to be grilled by the grief-stricken youths. He too had sustained a minor injury and continued his journey after taking treatment. 

The deceased are identified as Shashikumar(28) and Sunil Gowda (27) of Soorenahalli village of Kanakapura taluk in Ramanagara district.

The injured including CT Ravi, with minor injuries, were treated at the government hospital in Kunigal.

The group of as many as twelve youths had been returning home after a pilgrimage to Shringeri, Horanadu, Kundapura and other places when the incident occurred at around 2 a.m.

They had parked  two cars beside the road to attend nature's call when the speeding SUV first hit their cars killing the duo on the spot. Another youth Muniraju fractured his limbs and was shifted to a hospital.

When the MLA stopped his car and alighted the youths albeit in a state of shock and grief grilled him for causing the mishap. 

"The MLA, in fact, stopped his car and spoke to us. But the driver might be in an inebriated state as he didn't notice us. The guilty should be punished", said Puneeth one of the victim's relatives.

He was on his way to Bengaluru from Chikkamagaluru to catch a flight to Chennai for a BJP meeting, sources said.

The Kunigal police have booked the driver on charges of rash and negligent driving.