15 killed in road accident in southern India

15 killed in road accident in southern India

2011-06-27 21:11:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANGALORE (BNO NEWS) -- At least 15 people were killed on Monday when their van collided with a passenger bus in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, the Times of India reported.

Police said that the accident occurred around 1 p.m. local time when an overcrowded van collided head-on with a state-run passenger near the town of Tumkur, about 75 km (46 miles) from Bangalore. Tumkur Deputy Commissioner C Somashekara said the young driver of the van, who also died in the accident, tried to overtake another vehicle on the Bangalore-Pune highway.

Passengers in the bus coming to Bangalore from Shimoga escaped with minor injuries. The victims were all from the van and belonged to Gubbi village, about 20 km (12.42 miles) from Tumkur.

"Of the 20 people travelling in the tempo, five people who were injured in the mishap have been rushed to the state-run hospital at Tumkur. The bodies of the victims will be shifted from the spot at Heggare village to Tumkur for identification and handing over to their relatives," Somashekara said.

Somashekara added that the state government has decided to give Rs.50,000 ($1,110) each to the families of the 15 victims as compensation and Rs.15,000 ($333) to the injured.

The district police booked a case of negligence against the van's owner and driver for carrying seven more passengers than its capacity of 13. An investigation is underway.

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