Five people were killed in two separate crashes on the Bengaluru-Bantwal highway in Karnataka on Friday, including a 23-year-old Kerala nurse whose motorcycle was hit by a goods truck while she was returning from a trek near Tumakuru.
The first crash occurred around 12.10pm near Veerananjipura in Nelamangala taluk, Bengaluru Rural, after Aleena Ammu and her friend Albin, both from Kerala, had visited Devarayanadurga hills. Aleena was travelling pillion on the motorcycle when the truck rammed the bike. She died at the scene, while Albin sustained injuries.
Aleena and Albin had been staying at a paying guest accommodation in Indiranagar. Aleena worked as a nurse at a private hospital. The impact took place about 70km from Bengaluru, on a highway used by commuters, goods vehicles and travellers heading towards the coastal districts.
A separate crash in Mysuru district killed four people and left two others severely injured early Friday. The accident took place around 3am near Kiranahalli village in Periyapatna, when a private bus travelling from Bengaluru towards Kerala collided with a timber-laden truck.
The deceased were identified as bus driver Sunil, assistant Sugesh and passengers Aftab and Adam, according to the report. Police said the truck, which was travelling from the Madikeri side, took a sudden right turn to avoid a fallen tree on the highway stretch between Kampalapura and Periyapatna.
Passengers told police that it was raining at the time and that poor visibility may have contributed to the crash. The collision caused major disruption on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru highway, leaving scores of vehicles, including buses, stranded.
The two incidents occurred on different sections of the same broader highway corridor and involved distinct circumstances: a goods truck hitting a motorcycle near Nelamangala and a bus colliding with a timber truck near Periyapatna. Together, they underline the range of risks faced by highway users, from interactions between heavy vehicles and two-wheelers to reduced visibility and sudden manoeuvres during bad weather.
The reported crashes also affected long-distance bus operations and other traffic on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru route. The report did not provide details of arrests, compensation, road-closure duration or any formal safety measures announced after either incident. Further information from the police or highway authorities is awaited on the investigations and the condition of the injured survivors.
