Synopsis
Karnataka Police are actively seeking a canter truck involved in a hit-and-run incident that nearly claimed the life of Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. Following her recovery from serious injuries, investigations indicate the vehicle may be from Punjab or Haryana.Key Takeaways
- Karnataka Police are searching for a canter truck.
- Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar suffered serious injuries.
- The vehicle is believed to be from Punjab or Haryana.
- 30 out of 60 canters have been verified so far.
- The incident has raised political tensions in the region.
Belagavi (Karnataka), Jan 14 (NationPress) The Karnataka Police have escalated their efforts to locate a canter truck linked to a hit-and-run incident, where state Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar narrowly avoided serious harm.
On January 14, Minister Hebbalkar and her brother, Congress MLC Channaraj Hattiholi, incurred injuries in a vehicular accident. The Minister suffered fractures in her vertebrae and neck after her vehicle collided with a roadside tree close to Kittur. After a 13-day hospital stay, she expressed that she feels as though she was given a second chance at life upon her discharge.
According to police sources, investigations have suggested that the suspect vehicle originates from either Punjab or Haryana. Authorities have compiled a list of 60 canters based on CCTV footage from the Hirebagewadi toll and have initiated a search. So far, 30 canters have been verified.
Belagavi Superintendent of Police (SP) Bheemashankar Guled confirmed that the police are examining all canters that traveled on the national highway that day.
The investigation took a turn when the Minister's driver filed a hit-and-run report at the Kittur police station. The official driver stated in his complaint that the accident resulted from reckless driving by the canter truck driver.
Previously, the Minister's family indicated that the driver lost control while trying to avoid a dog, leading to the collision with a tree.
The official driver further claimed that while driving on National Highway 48 near Ambadagatti Cross, a canter truck in the first lane swerved left without signaling.
Despite attempts to evade an accident, the truck grazed the car, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered onto the service road and subsequently crashed into a tree.
According to the driver, the canter truck operator failed to stop and fled the scene.
This incident has sparked unease within political circles, especially amid the ongoing rivalry between Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's family and the family of former Minister and influential BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi in the area. Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi, a close ally of CM Siddaramaiah, is Ramesh Jarkiholi's younger sibling.
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, who comes from modest beginnings, has boldly challenged the dominance of the influential Jarkiholi family. She enjoys robust support from Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
