Bengaluru: Three people were killed and seven injured in Vijayapura district of Karnataka on Wednesday after the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in allegedly diverted from its path in order to escape police checking on the road ahead and hit a bus coming from the opposite direction.
The deceased included a four-year-old girl named Lakshmi Ningappa. The two others who died were identified as Kasthuri Suresh, 32, and Ramanna Yamanappa, 70. All the three victims hail from Bagalkote district. The injured were admitted to the Vijayapura district hospital.
The incident took place in Kolar area of Vijayapura district when the ‘tamtam’ auto hit a government bus.
"If caught by the police, the driver may have to pay double fine, so he drove out of the path and hit the bus coming from the opposite direction," said Arjuna Alagundi, a relative of Ningappa.
Within minutes of the incident, locals who had gathered around set a police jeep on fire. A video of the incident shows a man driving the jeep into a fire lit on the road. The local PSI Anand Kumar was also allegedly assaulted by the locals. Another vehicle was damaged after the locals pelted stones.
Four people have been detained in this case.
"We will investigate the cause of the accident, including that it was caused after the auto diverted from its path to escape checking by the police," said Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Prakash Amrit Nikam.
(With inputs from Mahesh V Shatagar in Vijayapura)
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