9 pilgrims killed in road accident

Gulbarga, Aug 23 (UNI) Nine pilgrims, including three women, were killed and 15 others injured when a tempo in which they were travelling, collided head-on with a lorry at Marki village in this district of Karnataka, today.

Police said the victims were returning to Maharashtra after a pilgrimage to Tirupati when the accident occurred.

All the victims hailed from Tulajapur in Usmanabad District in Maharashtra.

They were identified as Rekha Shivananda (32), Shivanandan (45), Rajendra Annaiah (40), Sadu Shivasagar (35), Rachoti Irenna (30), Varadha Shankar (38), Mahadev Swali (40), Lalitha Krishnappa (38), and Kare (40).

The injured were admitted to Government Hospital here.

Police had a tough time in removing the bodies, as the vehicle was completely damaged.

Following the incident, the vehicular movement on the Gulbarga-Bangalore was disrupted for some time.

UNI