Puttur: KSRTC bus rams into jeep - Four of family killed on spot

Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (DV/SP)

Update: June 3

Puttur, Jun 2: Four persons of a family were killed on the spot in a ghastly accident that took place at Sentyar near Puttur here on Sunday June 2.

The deceased have been identified as Peter Mascarenhas, Leena Mascarenhas, son Preethesh (13) and brother Anthony.

The accident occured when a KSRTC bus plying from Bellare to Sullia rammed into their jeep. They were travelling from Sullia to Puttur after attending a marriage function when the accident took place.

Leena’s son, Preetham Mascarenhas (14), and Joslyn Mascarenhas (22), daughter of Antony Mascarenhas, who sustained grievous injuries in the accident, are being treated in a private hospital in Mangalore. All those travelling in the ill-fated jeep were thrown onto the road because of the impact of the collision between the two vehicles.

Leena Mascarenhas was a Congress member of the Puttur municipal council. She was elected for the second time as municipal councillor in the recent election. She represented Parladka ward in the town, and had become victorious by 12 votes in the first attempt, and had increased her tally of victory margin to over 200 votes in her second attempt.

Peter Mascarenhas was peon in St Philomena High School and has put in 30 years of service. He celebrated his 52nd birthday on Saturday June 1. Both Peter and Leena were well known in Puttur for their social work and for helping the needy, sources said.

Many locals have blamed the improved road conditions and lack of road discipline for the reckless speed of the vehicles at this stretch, which has several sharp bends, for the swelling number of accidents in the region.

A case has been registered in Puttur rural police station.

U T Khadar, Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police (SP), Abhishek Goel, Puttur MLA, Shakuntala Shetty, Puttur block Congress president, Hemanath Shetty, and a number of other leaders from Congress and other parties visited the family of the deceased, and offered condolences.

Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, B Ramanath Rai, Udupi district in-charge minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake, MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, former chief minister, D V Sadananda Gowda, and many other leaders have expressed shock and grief at the ghastly accident, besides offering condolences to the grief-stricken family members.