Bengaluru: Six people, including three women pilgrims, were killed in two road accidents on the city’s outskirts late Saturday night. As many as 11 passengers and a van driver suffered injuries.The three women lost their lives after their Tempo Traveller (TT) rear-ended a truck near the Rani Circle flyover in Devanahalli around 11.50pm Saturday.A group of 14 members of the Stree Shakthi Sangha from Tiptur, Tumakuru district, had set out on a 15-day pilgrimage to Varanasi and other places, heading to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to catch an early morning flight.Their van was driven by 21-year-old Raviteja from Tiptur. The group departed Tiptur around 9pm and were travelling via Dabaspet on NH-648. Following Google Maps directions to KIA, Raviteja missed a turn and drove onto the Rani Circle flyover towards Hoskote.While descending the ramp, a Tamil Nadu-registered truck moving ahead suddenly veered right without warning, investigators said. Despite attempting to brake, Raviteja lost control, and the van rammed into the truck’s rear right side, leaving the vehicle completely mangled.The deceased are identified as Jayamma (65), Yashodamma (60), and Ganga (40), all declared dead on arrival at hospital. Another passenger, Kempamma (60) is battling for her life. Raviteja and 11 others are undergoing treatment and are out of danger.The truck driver initially stopped but later allegedly fled, leaving the vehicle behind and without assisting the injured. He was detained Sunday afternoon.The investigators noted, however, that the van was travelling on the extreme right of the road, and when the driver spotted a U-turn, he swerved left, lost balance, and struck the truck in the middle lane — suggesting contributory negligence on the TT driver’s part as well.A case has been registered against the truck driver under BNS Section 106 (causing death by negligence) at the Devanahalli traffic police station.Goods vehicle hits stationary truckIn the other accident, which took place around 11.30pm, three men travelling in a mini goods vehicle (Tata Intra) died after crashing into a canter truck parked on the upper ramp of the Medahalli bridge on Old Madras Road.Driver Suresh (32), Manikanta (35), and Srinivas (35), all residents of Whitefield and nearby areas, were transporting potatoes from Kolar to Bengaluru. All three died on the way to hospital. The front portion of the goods vehicle was completely mangled in the incident.Police said the canter truck had broken down with a flat tyre, but its driver, Amjad Pasha, had parked it without switching on tail lights or placing reflectors or barricades — leaving it virtually invisible to oncoming traffic. Suresh failed to notice the stationary vehicle and crashed into it from behind. Pasha has been booked by KR Pura traffic police.
