Mysuru: A horrific accident on the Gonikoppa-Mysuru Main Road near Thithimathi late Sunday night resulted in the death of two individuals and left one person critically injured.

The impact of the accident was so severe that one victim’s head was severed and flung 90 feet away and was retrieved after a search.

The deceased have been identified as Sannuvanda Jaya (48), a resident of Hebbale near Thithimathi and Sanath (26) from Devarapura village. Their companion, M.N. Harish (36), sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mysuru.

The jeep driver, identified as Siddu (35) from Kolthodu-Baigodu village, has been taken into custody. He is also injured and is being treated at a hospital in Gonikoppa. Sanath and Harish are brothers. Hospital reports indicate that Harish sustained major fractures on his legs and suffered grievous injuries to his head. 

The incident occurred at 10 pm on Sunday when Jaya, Sanath and Harish were standing on the roadside near Jaya’s house. They had stopped their bike on the sloping road and had just returned from the Hanuma Jayanti celebrations in Thithimathi. They were actively involved in the preparations for the celebrations for a fortnight.

As Jaya, Sanath and Harish were conversing, the over-speeding jeep collided with them, killing Jaya and Sanath on the spot. The jeep then crashed onto a roadside fence. Passersby and other people, who were returning from Thithimathi, noticed the accident and the death of two persons. They rushed Harish in a vehicle to Mysuru.

The impact of the collision was so severe that Jaya’s head was severed and flung approximately 90 feet away. It reportedly took nearly an hour to locate the severed head. While Jaya was working at a coffee estate in Thithimathi as a writer, Sanath was working at a private company in Mandya.

A case has been registered at the Gonikoppal Police Station and further investigations are underway. District Additional Superintendent of Police Sundar Raj, Gonikoppa Circle Inspector Shivaraj Mudhol, Sub-Inspector Dileep Kumar, and staff conducted a site inspection.

Post-mortem examinations were conducted at Gonikoppa Community Health Centre and the bodies were handed over to the families. Bodies of Sanath and Jaya were cremated at Thithimathi yesterday.