Daiijiworld News Network - Bantwal  with inputs from Puttur / Uppinangady (MB)

Bantwal, Jan 14: As the Road Safety Week came to an end, two prominent citizens of the taluk died a road accident on Friday the 13th.

Former national vice president of Jaycees and Congress leader Lokesh Pergade, son of Narayana Pergade of Perne Honnakodange here, and Bolantur Vishwanath Shetty (55) were the two who died on the way to the hospital, after the Maruti car they were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision with a lorry at Kadambu on NH 48. Another passenger in the car, Nonayya, has been admitted to the hospital in an unconscious state.

The driver of the lorry is said to have been driving the vehicle at a high speed. The impact of the collision was such that the car was dragged along for a distance of almost 10 metres. The road-crash took place at a place only half a kilometre from Pergade's house.

Lokesh Pergade was a well-known politician, having been an active Janata Dal (S) partyman for many years, even having served as the party's district general secretary for some time. Only at the time of the last assembly elections, he had crossed over to Congress party.

Puttur ASP Dr A Subramanyeshwar Rao, rural circle inspector T Sanjiva Naik and Uppinangady SI Ramesh visited the spot. The lorry has been seized by the police and the driver arrested.