Two motorcycle-borne youths fall off precipice where road had caved in, die

GADAG: Two youths who were riding a motorcycle at high speed died after the vehicle fell off a precipice which had formed as a result of a road caving in near Nagavi in Gadag taluk on Tuesday evening.

Villagers gathered near the edge of the precipice.

Manjunath Madar (19) and Basavaraj Jawalachembi (17) were heading to Yelishirunji village from Lakkundi on the road leading through Gadag, Kalasapura, Nagavi and Beladhadhi. They were on their way to attend a relative’s birthday celebration.

After the recent heavy rain, a section of the road had caved in near Nagavi, forming a 40-50-foot-deep precipice. The two youths, who were speeding on the motorcycle, did not notice the road cave-in and fell to their death.

The two youths fell along with the motorcycle.

Ever since the road had caved in, traffic movement on the stretch had stopped. Though the district minister, legislators, the deputy commissioner, local tahsildar and the police had visited the spot then, no barricades for warning signs had been placed to warn road users.

Villagers blame the negligence of the officials concerned for the mishap. A case has been registered at the Gadag Rural police station.