Nine members including three women and children of the same family, said to be relatives of former Kudachi MLA Sham Ghatge, were killed on the spot and three sustained injuries in a head-on collision involving a mutli-utility vehicle and a truck at Arabail Ghat near Yellapur in Uttar Kannada district on Wednesday morning.
The accident occurred on the Ankola-Gooty National Highway 63 when the family was returning from a trip to Kukke Subramanya.
All the victims are residents of Raibag taluk in Belagavi district. The driver of the MUV was also killed in the accident.
The Yellapur police have given the name of the deceased as Vivek Vasanth Ghatage (34), businessmen from Raibag; his wife Menaka (28); his son Varadaraj (1.5 yrs); daughter Vaishnavi (5); and his sister Renuka Chandrakanth Kamble (30); nephew Abhinav Chandrakanth Kamble (3) of Kamalapur; Gauravva Vasanth Metri (58) of Nidagundi; Sachin Madhulkar Jandenavar (28); and the driver Mujju alias Mujahid Naykwadi (32).
The injured persons has been identified as Gajanan Bapu Metri (27) from Raibag and has been shifted to KIMS hospital in Hubballi. The Yellapur Police have registered a case.
