21 people die as bullock cart overturns while crossing rivulet

 

Heart-rending scenes: Grieving relatives of the dead at the scene of the accident in Chitradurga district on Wednesday.

CHITRADURGA: In a tragic accident, 21 people of a group of 24 died when the bullock cart in which they were travelling overturned while crossing the Hagari rivulet, trapping them under it. The incident occurred between Machenahalli and Venkatapur villages in Molkalmur taluk of Chitradurga district around 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Eighteen bodies have been recovered so far, including those of four women and 11 children.The group was returning from Machenahalli to Venkatapur after attending a marriage. The rivulet divides the two villages and, in the absence of a proper road between them, people have been crossing the rivulet for several years. Their demand for a bridge has fallen on deaf ears, a resident of one of the villages said. According to local people, the rivulet is not deep. Most of the victims were asphyxiated because they were unable to extricate themselves from beneath the heavy cart. On receiving the information, the police, along with Fire and Emergency Services personnel, rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Local swimmers helped retrieve the bodies. Two persons who were injured have been shifted to a hospital in Bellary. One boy escaped unhurt. When this correspondent visited the accident spot, rescue operations were still under way and efforts were being made to retrieve three more bodies. It was a heart-rending scene to see the bodies laid on the bank of the rivulet surrounded by their inconsolable relatives. Among the bereaved was Mallikarjun, who had lost his wife and three children. Their bodies were yet to be found. Police had a tough time shifting the bodies to hospital for post-mortem. The deceased have been identified as Kallarappa (18), Honnurappa (16), Lakshmi (12), Basanna (16), Marenna (12), Yogesh (10), Nemkallappa (23), Swapna (6), Thippeswamy (12), Durganna (30), Lakshmi (25), Shantamma (4), Navin (6), Lakshmakka (35), Lakshmi (16), Obulaswamy (1), Shivamma (13) and Hanumanna (55). Deputy Commissioner Aditya Amlan Biswas visited the spot and supervised the rescue operations. N.Y. Gopalakrishna, Molkalmur MLA, told presspersons at the accident spot that illegal sand extraction was to blame for the tragedy. He demanded that the Government give compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased.