13 killed as lorry falls into ditch

Mandya, Karnataka, Mar 10 (UNI) As many as 13 people were killed and 40 injured when a lorry overturned and fell into a ditch between Halaguru and Mutthathi highway in this district today.

Police sources said the mishap occurred when the driver of the lorry, in which more than 70 people from Chikkakalkuni village in Mysore district were proceeding to Mutthathi village for a religious function, lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve.

While 11 people were killed on the spot, two succumbed to injuries at the Malavalli hospital.

The deceased were identified as Ravi (25), A Mahesh (29), Chowda (39), Nenge Gowda (49), N Gowda (35), Nanjappa (26), Puttaraju (40), Chinde Gowda (40), Jayaling (30), Murthy (25), Ningamma (40), Poornima (16) and driver Kale Gowda (35).

While six of the injured were rushed to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bangalore as they had sustained head injuries, the remaining were admitted to hospitals in Mandya, Malavalli and Mysore.

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