Drunk Driver Hits Ayyappa Devotees, Leaves One Dead and Eight Injured

Karwar: An incident on Tuesday night surfaced recently where a car driven by an allegedly drunk man rammed into a group of Ayyappa devotees in Ravindra Nagar, Karwar, killing a young woman and injuring eight others. The driver fled the scene, prompting authorities to register a hit-and-run case at the Siddapura police station on Wednesday.

The incident claimed the life of 21-year-old Deepa Ramagond from Kavalakoppa, while the injured, identified as Kalpana, Janaki, Chaitra, Jyothi, Madevi, Gowri, Ramappa, and Gajanana Bhat were rushed to the taluk hospital in Siddapura. Due to the severity of their injuries, two of the injured were later transferred to a hospital in Shivamogga for advanced treatment.

The accident occurred as hundreds of devotees had gathered at the Ayyappa temple to celebrate the festival of Makara Sankranti. According to police, Roshan Fernandes, the driver of a Ford Ecosport SUV, ploughed through the crowd while allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Local residents have expressed outrage over the incident, alleging that Fernandes had previously caused disturbances during Hindu religious events. They have called for stringent legal action against him to ensure accountability.

A case has been filed under Sections 281, 125(J), 125(C), and 105 of the BNS. Investigations are underway, and police are working to bring the accused to justice.