Retired AC dies in road accident

Pet dog refuses to leave spot; forcibly taken away

Kushalnagar: A retired Revenue Assistant Commissioner died on-the-spot after a truck collided against his car on Hassan-Kushalnagar State Highway near Thorenuru village yesterday morning.

The deceased is 65-year-old Dr. K.A. Appaiah. His wife Meenakshi, who suffered serious injuries, has been shifted to a hospital in Mysuru.

They were on their way in their car (KA-04-MK-4095) to attend a religious ritual at his native place, Kumbaladalu near Murnad in Madikeri taluk.

According to the Police, the lorry (KA-42-3826), approaching in the opposite direction, rammed the car Appaiah was driving. As a result, the car hit the protective fence on the left side of the road.

Appaiah, who was driving the car, died on-the-spot. The front portion of the car was smashed in the collision. Lorry driver Prakash is also injured and is being treated at Community Health Centre in Kushalnagar.

Their pet dog escaped unhurt in the incident. The pet refused to leave the accident spot, mourning the death of its master. The dog was barking continuously and went near its master’s body that was inside the mangled remains of the car. The incident moved everyone gathered at the spot. The dog was forcefully taken away from the spot by a relative of the victim. Even as it was pulled away, the canine returned near Appaiah’s body a couple of times, said eyewitnesses.

Appaiah was a resident of Bengaluru and had worked as the Personal Secretary to former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna.

He had also worked with former Chief Ministers B.S. Yeddyurappa and D.V. Sadananda Gowda. Later he returned to his parent Department and had served till retirement. Post-retirement, Appaiah had settled in Hebbal in Bengaluru.