Tragic Bengaluru Highway Crash: CEO and His Family of Five Killed as Container Lorry Topples onto SUV!

Bengaluru (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic incident occurred on the Bengaluru-Tumakuru National Highway-4 near Talekere, where a container lorry toppled onto an SUV, resulting in the death of a family of six. The driver of the container lorry, carrying 40 tonnes of cement poles, lost control while attempting to avoid colliding with a car that suddenly stopped in front of him. The accident occurred around 11 am on Saturday within the Nelamangala police station limits.

The deceased were identified as Chandrayagappa Gaul (46), the Managing Director and CEO of IAST Software Solutions, his wife Gaurbai (40), his sister Vijayalakshmi (35), their son Jaan (16), daughter Deeksha (10), and niece Arya (6). The family, hailing from Vijayapura district and residing in HSR Layout, was en route to their hometown when the container lorry crashed onto their SUV, instantly killing all six. According to police, the container lorry driver, Harif Ansari from Jharkhand, was traveling towards Bengaluru at 40 km/h when a car in front of him abruptly slowed down. To avoid the collision, he swerved right, hit another lorry, crossed the median, and the container fell onto the SUV. Despite efforts, the bodies of the victims had to be painstakingly removed from the mangled vehicle. Ansari sustained severe injuries and remains in critical condition. The second truck driver suffered only minor injuries.

Traffic on the busy highway was disrupted for more than two hours due to the accident. The police registered a case against Harif Ansari, and further investigation is ongoing. In his statement to the police, Ansari expressed his grief, stating he lost control of the truck after applying the brakes and could not recall the events after the vehicle toppled. Chandrayagappa Gaul’s nephew, Shashikanth, spoke about his uncle’s struggle to build a successful career and his company, IAST Software Solutions. Gaul had purchased the SUV just two months ago and was on his way to visit his ailing father. Accounts manager Srinivas, who had worked with Gaul for five years, was devastated by the news. He recalled that Gaul had planned to take a week off and had asked him to oversee operations during his absence. The bodies were sent to the Nelamangala government hospital for autopsy. The Nelamangala traffic police continue to investigate the case.