At least 13 persons were killed and and about 19 others sustained injuries in two early morning road accidents occurred in separate parts of Karnataka on Wednesday, police sources said.
A truck carrying fruit vendors, fell in a 50-metre-deep valley in a forested section of Savanur - Hubballi Road killing at least 9 persons and injuring nine others, police said.
The victims were transporting fruits to a local fair being organised in a place called Yellapura. The driver of the truck swerved to the extreme left in a bid to allow a vehicle that was trying to overtake from behind around 5:30 am, the Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana told PTI.
"As the road in the section doesn't have barrier walls on the edge, the truck fell in about 50-metre-deep valley, killing at least nine persons. The injured have been shifted to the KIMS Hospital in Hubballi," the officer said.
In a different accident, at least four persons including three students were killed and ten others were injured when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned near Araginamara Camp in Sindhanur, Raichur district.
These students of Mantralaya Sanskrit Pathashala were on a pilgrimage to Hampi to offer prayers at Narahari Temple.
Deceased students have been identified as Aryavandan (18), Sucheendra (22) and Abhilash (20). Driver Shiva (24) too died in this accident.
The 10 injured people have been admitted to a local hospital. Sindhanur Traffic Police Station registered a case.