Seven people, including six school students, were killed in a horrific multi-vehicle accident early Friday morning near M Sathyavara village in Bengaluru Rural district.
The tragedy occurred on the Hoskote-Dabaspete National Highway when a speeding Mahindra XUV 700, with a group of students on an early morning joyride, triggered a chain collision involving a motorcycle and a Canter truck.
The identities of six of the victims have been confirmed as Ashwin Nayar (17), Arhaan Sharif (17), Ayaan Ali (17), Bharat (18), Ethan George (17), and the bike rider, Gagan, a private company employee.
The seventh victim is yet to be identified. The students, aged between 17 and 18, were in Classes 10 and 12.
Gagan, the motorcyclist, was returning home after finishing his 5 pm-3 am shift at work when he was struck. His family revealed a heartbreaking story of loss. Gagan was the sole breadwinner for his mother, who is visually impaired.
According to preliminary police reports, the students had left home around 3 am for a joyride without informing their families. Travelling from Kolar toward Devanahalli, the speeding SUV first rear-ended Gagan's motorcycle.
The driver allegedly lost control of the XUV 700 following the initial impact, causing the vehicle to ram into a Canter truck. The force of the collision was so extreme that the truck and the bike were flung over the median onto the opposite side of the highway, while the mangled SUV skidded nearly 500 metres before coming to a halt.
Ashwin Nayar, a resident of Kothanur, was studying at RV PU College. Arhaan Sharif and Ayaan Ali were students of CMR Institute and residents of HVR Layout. Bharat was also a student at CMR Institute and a resident of Frazer Town. Ethan George was studying at RV College and was a resident of Hulimavu.
Initially, the parents were informed that their children had been seriously injured in the accident. However, when they arrived at the hospital, they learned about the deaths and were left inconsolable. Family members of Arhaan Sharif said that he did not even know how to ride a bike, forget about driving a car. "He left home and never returned," they said.
At the Hoskote government hospital, scenes of absolute grief unfolded as parents arrived. Many were initially told their children were only "seriously injured."
"He left home and never returned," said family members of Arhaan Sharif. Shocked by the reports of the joyride, they claimed Arhaan did not even know how to ride a motorcycle, let alone drive a high-end SUV.
IGP (Central) Labhu Ram and Bengaluru Rural Superintendent of Police Chandrakant visited the site to oversee the investigation.
"Seven people were killed in a chain road accident. We have cleared the vehicles and shifted the bodies to the hospital," IGP Labhu Ram said. "The investigation is on to determine if the driver was in an inebriated state. We cannot confirm that at this stage."
While overspeeding is currently cited as the primary cause, the Sulibele police have initiated a full probe into the mishap. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
With inputs from IANS
