An elderly couple was killed and five others were injured when their sports-utility vehicle toppled near Sangapura, on Mandya-Melkote Main Road, in the taluk on Sunday evening.
According to the injured, the accident occurred when the driver, the deceased couple’s son, swerved in order to avoid a snake that was crossing the road.
Seetharam Raju (74) and his wife, Ratnamma (62), died on the spot. Their son Shridhar Raju (45), his wife, Mamatha (40), his son, Rahul (15), their relative Krishna and another person sustained injuries, the Shivalli police said.
All residents of Bhuvaneshwari Nagar in Bengaluru, the seven were heading towards pilgrim centre Melkote near Pandavapura to offer prayers.
The police said that Shridhar lost control of the speeding vehicle on noticing the snake. The vehicle turned turtle many times over and halted after hitting boulders.
The injured were rushed to the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) and another hospital in Bengaluru.
