Bengaluru Volvo accident: Six lives were lost in tragic crash, eyewitnesses reveal details

A horrific road accident on Saturday near Bengaluru took the lives of six members of a family, reigniting conversations on road safety in India. The incident which happened on National Highway 48 near Nelamangala brings to the fore the deadly consequences of dangerous driving and poor road infrastructure.

The family was traveling in a Volvo SUV when the container truck, which carried aluminum pillars, overturned and crushed the vehicle. Unfortunately, no one inside survived the accident.

How did the accident happen

The preliminary police investigation showed that the Eicher truck, which was carrying aluminum pillars, was on its way to Bengaluru when its driver lost control to avoid another vehicle. The speeding truck changed direction across the median and toppled onto the Volvo SUV heading to Tumakuru.

The impact was devastating, and the SUV was badly damaged. The truck also brushed against a tempo vehicle but fortunately, only the Tempo sustained minor damages.

Nearby CCTV footage captures the moment of the crash, which the police are now analysing in their investigation.

Who were the victims

Chandrayagappa Gaul, 48, his wife Gaurabai, 42, and their relatives Vijayalakshmi, 36, John, 16, Deeksha, 12, and Arya, 6, lost their lives in the incident. The family was on a visit to Vijayapura when the tragedy struck them.

Chandrayagappa, or Chandram Yegapagol, was a known personality in Bengaluru's tech circles. He was the CEO and Managing Director of IAST Software Solutions and a resident of HSR Layout. He hails from Morbagi village in Maharashtra's Sangli district. Yegapagol is an alumnus of GPT Gulbarga and NIT Karnataka, Surathkal, where he did his engineering in Electrical and Electronics.

What people at the scene said

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the truck driver, Arif, lost control as he tried to avoid a car that had suddenly stopped in front of him. The truck crossed over the divider and hit the family's Volvo SUV completely crushing it. The bodies of the victims were dismembered beyond recognition due to the impact of the collision according to a police officer.

Road Safety: Is a safe car enough?

The accident has ignited a heated debate on social media regarding road safety. In fact, many users strongly argued that no vehicle, no matter how safe, can withstand the force of a heavy container truck.

DriveSmart, a popular road safety advocate on social media, posted harrowing images of the accident scene. Their post read:

“This pic is a reminder that being safer on the road is not achieved by a safer car alone. Safe Roads + Safe Driver + Safe Car --> All three are essential for safety.”

Some users tagged Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, urging stricter enforcement of road safety regulations.

Nitin Gadkari on road safety

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari recently during a parliamentary debate on road safety admitted the increasing number of accidents in the country. “Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation to admit that it has been increased. This is one area where our department has not achieved success,” he said.

Gadkari also highlighted a lack of discipline among road users, citing examples like failure to wear helmets and jumping red lights. Improper truck parking and lack of lane discipline were also significant contributors to accidents.

Statistics on road accidents in India

Government data indicates that over 1.78 lakh people died in road accidents in India last year, averaging 470 deaths per day. A major number of these victims were aged 18 to 34, highlighting the human cost of inadequate road safety measures.