Three people in an autorickshaw died after it was crushed in a chain collision involving two tankers and an SUV at Panambur junction.
The crash began when a cow crossed the road, forcing a gas tanker to brake suddenly, with a speeding rear tanker failing to stop.
Police are probing whether overspeeding or brake failure caused the crash; traffic was disrupted for an hour.
Three Killed as Tanker Triggers Chain Collision on Mangaluru–Udupi Highway
Cow crossing leads to sudden halt; autorickshaw crushed between two tankers at Panambur junction.
Summary
Three people were killed in a chain collision involving two tankers, an autorickshaw and an SUV here on Saturday, police said.
The accident occurred around 11.15 am at Panambur junction when a cow suddenly attempted to cross the road, prompting a gas tanker travelling from Mulki towards Mangaluru to halt abruptly, they said.
Citing preliminary investigation, a senior police officer said that the autorickshaw following the tanker managed to stop in time, as did the SUV car trailing behind it. However, another tanker approaching from the rear at high speed allegedly failed to brake, crashing directly into the SUV.
The force of the impact pushed the car to the left side of the road.
The autorickshaw, caught between the two tankers during the sequence of collisions, was crushed instantly, he said.
The autorickshaw driver and two passengers died on the spot, police said, adding that their identities are being confirmed by authorities.
Police officials said the visibility on the stretch was clear at the time of the incident, and the road was moderately busy. Investigators are examining whether excessive speed or brake failure caused the rear tanker to lose control. The tanker drivers and the SUV driver escaped without major injuries.
Traffic on the busy Mangaluru-Udupi highway was disrupted for nearly an hour as cranes were deployed to remove the damaged vehicles. Police have registered a case and initiated investigation.
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