4 die as bike collides with school vehicle; kids escape injuries

Four persons were killed in a head-on collision between a private school vehicle ferrying students and a motorcycle near Khotnatti Cross in Athani taluk of the district on Thursday.

Among the deceased, three were riding on the motorcycle, while the fourth was the driver of the school vehicle. However, ore than 15 students who were in the school vehicle suffered injuries.

The bike rammed the vehicle carrying students of Manik Prabhu Primary School on the Sankeshwar-Jewargi road. While two of the bike riders were killed on the spot, the other one succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital. The school vehicle driver too died on the spot.

The deceased are Danappa Magdum (45), Manoj Doddamani (35), Appasab Marathe (45), residents of Yalhadgi village in Athani, and school vehicle driver Siddu Pujari (28).

Of the injured students, nine have been shifted to hospital in Miraj, Maharashtra, for treatment, while the rest are being treated at the taluk Hospital in Athani. The Aigali police have registered a case.