BENGALURU — A planned temple visit turned into a horrifying tragedy on Tuesday morning when a rented Toyota Innova carrying eight friends overturned multiple times in Doddaballapur, killing five of them and injuring the rest.
The group was on its way to the Shri Bheemeshwara Temple in Gauribidanur taluk, Chikkaballapura district, when the accident occurred around 10:45 am between Nayakarandanahalli and Makali village, along a state highway stretch notorious for crashes.
Victims and Survivors
The deceased have been identified as:
- Eshwarappa (75)
- D.N. Kalappa (69)
- Purushottam (62)
- Gopinath (52)
- Narasimha Murthy (50) – who was driving the vehicle.
The injured survivors are:
- Kumara (50)
- Srinivas (55)
- Narayanappa (60)
According to police, the victims were weavers, farmers, and small business owners from the same community. They shared a close friendship, often going on morning and evening walks together.
How the Accident Happened
Police said the crash took place when Murthy, the driver, attempted to overtake a truck on a sharp curve of a narrow, two-lane road. As he swerved left to avoid an oncoming bus, he lost control of the vehicle.
“The Innova flipped at least seven times, throwing passengers out in different directions,” an officer said. “There’s no divider on this stretch, and it’s known to be dangerous.”
Four passengers died instantly, while Gopinath succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Police Appeal for Caution
A senior police official described the road as an accident-prone zone and urged motorists to exercise caution, especially while navigating curves and overtaking vehicles on narrow stretches.
Authorities are continuing their investigation and have reiterated the importance of wearing seat belts and adhering to speed limits to avoid such tragedies.
