Karnataka - Mangalore   

Three persons killed in train-jeep collision at level-crossing

MANGALORE: A businessman and his son and a government employee were killed when the Mangalore-Subrahmanya passenger train rammed a jeep in which they were travelling at the Kodineeru unmanned level-crossing in Puttur taluk on Wednesday. Railway police stated that this was the first major accident involving a train on the Mangalore-Subrahmanya railway line.

The victims have been identified as Yellyanna Gowda (52), resident of Kallakote Mane, Shantigodu village, Ibrahim (45) of Mundur village and Latif (18), his son. The victims were from Puttur taluk. Mr. Gowda, a driver in the veterinary department, was driving the jeep when the accident occurred. The father and son, who were on their way to the village, had joined Mr. Gowda in his vehicle, a few minutes before the mishap occurred. While Mr. Gowda and Mr. Ibrahim died on the spot, Latif succumbed to injuries when he was being shifted to a hospital.

The train reportedly dragged the jeep for nearly 200 metres before coming to a halt.

The Railway police said the train had been detained at Puttur station by people who were protesting the delay in resumption of passenger train services to Bangalore.

Although the Puttur MLA, Shakuntala T. Shetty, and Puttur sub-division assistant superintendent of police P.S. Harsha, reached the spot and arranged to shift Latif to the hospital, their efforts went in vain. Railway police said Mr. Gowda, who was on leave, was on his way to his relative’s house to distribute invitation cards for his daughter’s wedding scheduled for Friday.

The local people reportedly staged a protest against the incident and detained the train on its way to Mangalore. They demanded that the Railways pay compensation to the next of kin of the victims.

The protesters dispersed only after the authorities promised to consider their demands on humanitarian grounds.

The authorities also promised to take action against those responsible for the incident, according to law. Railway police have registered a case.

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