A 21-year-old businessman died, while his friend sitting in the pillion was severely injured, when a truck collided with their motorcycle on National Highway 75 near Thumbe on Friday morning.
Around 10.30 a.m., Kaushik D. Shetty, businessman and son of Bantwal Town Municipal councillor, and his neighbour Sanjith Bhandary (23) were travelling towards Mangalore when a truck rammed their bike from behind.
According to the police, the bike had slowed down on the highway, and the speeding lorry, which was trailing the bike, did not have enough time to stop.
The lorry dragged the bike under its wheel for some distance. While Kaushik fell directly under the wheel – suffering fatal injuries to the abdomen – the pillion rider, Sanjith suffered injuries to the legs over which the lorry had run over. Kaushik died before he could be taken to a hospital. Sanjith was being treated for injuries at Father Muller Hospital in Thumbe.
Bantwal Rural Police said Kaushik and his friend were headed for Mangalore to participate in discussions for a construction contract.
The lorry driver has been arrested and booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
