A devastating accident on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway claimed four lives, including two children, after an Innova carrying a family from Tirupati struck a culvert. Three others sustained injuries.

  • Four fatalities reported in an Innova crash near KGF on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway.
  • Victims include a 44-year-old man, his mother-in-law, and two children from Mysuru.
  • Preliminary police findings suggest driver fatigue/dozing off as the cause.
  • The expressway segment has seen over 25 deaths since its opening in March 2025.

A pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Tirupati turned into a nightmare for two families from Karnataka on Monday morning. A high-speed crash on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway near Doddakari village in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left three others injured when their Innova vehicle collided violently with a stone culvert.

The deceased have been identified as Devendra (44), his mother-in-law Sharadha Bai (70), and Devendra’s children, Deeksha (20) and Vishnu Sai (12). All victims were residents of Mysuru. The injured passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment for their injuries.

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According to police reports, the families of two sisters—one residing in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru—had embarked on their journey to Tirumala around 3:00 AM for darshan. The tragedy struck at approximately 7:00 AM during their return journey. The driver, identified as Vikas Rao, is suspected to have dozed off at the wheel, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and strike the roadside structure.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is becoming a hotspot for high-speed fatalities. Since the section between Kolathur and Bethamangala opened to traffic in March 2025, authorities have recorded more than a dozen major accidents and nearly 25 deaths. This rising trend highlights a critical need for better driver fatigue management systems and enhanced roadside safety infrastructure on these new high-speed corridors.

The surge in accidents on newly commissioned expressways suggests that driver alertness and high-speed navigation are not keeping pace with infrastructure development.

In a separate but equally tragic incident, three women laborers lost their lives in the Chikkaballapur district following a collision between an Omni van and a mini-goods vehicle near Kothanur Gate. The victims, all residents of Mallikarjunapura, were traveling to harvest flowers when the collision occurred in the early hours of the morning.

Did You Know?: 'Micro-sleep'—brief moments of sleep lasting only a few seconds—is one of the leading causes of fatal accidents on modern expressways.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What caused the Innova crash on the expressway?
Police suspect the driver likely dozed off at the wheel, leading the vehicle to strike a roadside culvert.

2. How many people have died on this expressway since March 2025?
The specific section between Kolathur and Bethamangala has recorded nearly 25 deaths since it opened.