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Horrific Bengaluru crash that killed Volvo CEO and family sparks road safety debate | Latest news India

Horrific Bengaluru crash that killed Volvo CEO and family sparks road safety debate | Latest news India

A devastating road accident near Bangalore that claimed the lives of six members of a family on Saturday has sparked a debate over the effectiveness of cars designed to be safe on dangerous roads. The family was traveling in a Volvo SUV when a container truck overturned and crushed their vehicle, killing everyone inside.

The accident took place on National Highway 48 near Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bangalore. (X/drivesmart_IN)
The accident took place on National Highway 48 near Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bangalore. (X/drivesmart_IN)

The accident took place on National Highway 48 near Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bangalore.

How did the accident happen?

A preliminary investigation by the police revealed the course of events leading to the incident. tragic accident which cost six lives. An Eicher truck, carrying aluminum pillars weighing several tons, was on its way to Bengaluru when the driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle in front of him.

Traveling at high speed, the truck veered off course, crossed the central reservation and crashed into a Volvo car heading towards Tumakuru. The impact was catastrophic, leaving the car badly damaged. The truck also collided with a pace before coming to a stop, although damage to the pace was minimal.

The shocking moment the truck crushed the Volvo was captured on a nearby CCTV camera. Police are currently analyzing the footage as part of their ongoing investigation into the crash.

The deceased have been identified as Chandrayagappa Gaul (48), his wife Gaurabai (42) and their relatives Vijayalakshmi (36), John (16), Deeksha (12) and Arya (6). The family was on their way to Vijayapura when tragedy struck.

Who is Chandram Yegapagol?

Chandram YegapagolCEO and Managing Director of IAST Software Solutions, was a prominent figure in the Bangalore technology industry. A resident of HSR Layout, Yegapagol hailed from Morbagi village in Sangli district of Maharashtra.

The Yegapagol group has impressive credentials. He held a diploma in electrical and electronic engineering from GPT Gulbarga and a bachelor’s degree in engineering in the same discipline from the prestigious National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal, according to his LinkedIn profile.

According to eyewitnesses, the truck driver, Arif, lost control of the vehicle while trying to save a car that stopped abruptly in front of him. The truck jumped the partition and crashed into the Volvo SUV.

The family was on their way to Vijayapura when the accident occurred. When the truck ran over it, the car was badly mangled and the bodies were dismembered, a police officer said.

A debate raging on social networks

The accident sparked a conversation on social media about road safetywith many users pointing out that even the safest cars can’t save lives if other drivers on the road are driving recklessly.

DriveSmart, a social network dedicated to promoting road safety, has shared disturbing images from the scene of the accident where a Volvo SUV was crushed by a container truck, killing six people.

Handle three are essential to safety (sic).”

Some users, responding to the post, said that although Volvo is known for making safe vehicles, no car can handle the crushing weight of a container loaded with aluminum.

Others chose to tag the Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkariurging the government to implement stricter rules and regulations to ensure road safety, highlighting the need for more robust measures to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.

Recently, during a debate on road safety in Parliament, the Union Minister said that the number of accidents has increased significantly. “Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation in admitting that it has increased. This is one area where our department has failed,” Gadkari said during the winter session of the Parliament.

He also expressed his dissatisfaction that despite so many people dying in road accidents, the law still does not scare people. “Some don’t wear helmets, some jump at the red signal,” he said during Question Time, while describing the “strange” situation.

The union minister pointed out that parking of trucks on the road is a major cause of accidents and many trucks do not respect traffic discipline.

According to government data, more than 1.78 lakh people died in road accidents in India last year. This represents around 470 deaths every day and the majority of victims are in the 18-34 age group.