Madikeri: A tragic road accident near Devarahosahalli on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway near Channapatna early Tuesday morning claimed the lives of a couple from Kodagu district.
The deceased have been identified as Kalimada Somaiah (Ramesh), 73, and his wife Saraswathi (Chattamada), 65.
Originally from Parakatageri (Pookola) in South Kodagu, the couple had been residing on 6th Cross, Mundikoppa Layout, Bagalagunte, Dasarahalli, Bengaluru.
Two days ago, they had travelled to Kodagu along with their 35-year-old son, Pavan, in their car to attend a relative’s engagement ceremony and were returning to Bengaluru when the accident occurred.
According to the Police, a container truck was moving ahead of their car when a spare tyre (stepney) mounted on the rear of the truck suddenly dislodged, bounced onto the road and hit the front of their vehicle.
In the ensuing chaos, Pavan, who was driving, lost control of the car, which rammed into the rear of the container truck before crashing into the road divider.
In an attempt to avoid a collision, the car veered onto the road divider and overturned. The impact was severe, leaving the vehicle completely mangled.
Somaiah, seated in the front passenger seat, and Saraswathi, seated in the rear, died on the spot due to the severe impact. Pavan miraculously escaped with no major injuries. The family’s pet dog, a Rottweiler, also travelling in the car, was unharmed.
The bodies were shifted to the Channapatna Government Hospital for post-mortem examination before being transported to the family’s residence in Dasarahalli. The final rites were held there today, relatives confirmed.
The couple is survived by two sons — Pavan and Sajan, the latter currently serving in the Indian Air Force.
A case has been registered at Channapatna Police Station, and further investigation is underway.
This post was published on September 10, 2025 6:40 pm