Bengaluru, Dec 21 : Nine people, including two children and three students were killed in separate road accidents reported from Bengaluru Rural and Mandya districts in Karnataka on Saturday.

In the first incident, six persons were killed on the spot on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway-4 near Taalekere village, close to T. Begur near Nelamangala town on the outskirts of Bengaluru. A container truck overturned and crushed their car.

All six victims, travelling in the car, were from the same family, including two children. The deceased were identified as Yagappa Gol (48), Gowra Bai (42), Deeksha (12), Jaan (16), Vijayalaxmi (36), and Ayra (6). All were residents of Vijayapura district.

The police stated that the family was on a weekend trip when the tragic accident occurred. The incident happened after the truck driver lost control over the vehicle, causing it to overturn and crush the car.

The crash also caused a 10-kilometer-long traffic jam on the national highway. The impact was so severe that three cranes were required to move the container and retrieve the bodies trapped underneath. The family had purchased the car just six months ago.

Speaking to the media, the truck driver, Arif, who is undergoing treatment at the hospital, claimed the accident happened while he was trying to avoid hitting a car ahead of him.

'I was driving towards Bengaluru from Dabaspet town. While trying to avoid crashing into the car in front of me, my truck crossed the divider and overturned. The accident happened because of the car ahead. I am deeply pained by the incident. I couldn't remember anything immediately after the accident. When I regained consciousness, the car was under the truck,' he explained.

In another accident, three students were killed and another was critically injured on National Highway 209 near Bosegowdanadoddi, close to Mandya city, on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Pranav, Akash, and Adarsh, while Pruthvi is in critical condition.

The victims were travelling from Bengaluru to the tourist spot Talakadu in Mysuru district. According to police, the accident occurred when their car, after overtaking an RTC bus, collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction. The incident occurred within the Malavalli police station limits.

/IANS