Bride-to-be, 7 others killed in Karanataka van-bus smash-up

Bengaluru: Eight persons, among them a bride-to-be, were killed and 22 injured in a ghastly head-on collision between a bus and a van in north Karnataka, the police said on Thursday.

The accident occurred when a speeding private bus collided head-on with a van carrying a marriage party on Thursday morning at Annabeelu Cross in Uttara Kannada (North Canara) district, Bhatkal Deputy Superintendent of Police P.O. Shivakumar told IANS over phone.

Honnavara is about 490 km from Bengaluru in the state`s northwest coastal region.

N. Palakshi, 42, Baby Kom, 38, N.B. Ganigera, 44 (van driver), A.S. Sunil Seth, 25, Divya Kuradekar, 28 (bride-to-be), Pooja Seth, 24, R. Krishnappa Seth, 65, and Umesha Valmiki, 35 (bus driver) were killed in the crash.

Two children aged 9 and 6 years were among the injured. They were admitted to a private hospital in Kundapur.

At least 30 passengers in the bus, however, escaped unhurt.

"The van with the marriage party was going to Dharmasthala from Honnavara while the bus was in the opposite direction from Bhatkal to Honnavara when the collision took place," said Shivakumar.

Divya Kuradekar`s wedding was fixed for Friday at Dharmasthala, a pilgrim centre in Dakshina Kannada (South Canara) district.

An FIR has been registered against the owners of the bus and the van as the drivers were among the dead, the official said.