Puttur, January 3, 2025: Five people, including a young boy, narrowly escaped after their car plunged into a roadside ditch near Kapu close to Sediyapu on the Uppinangady highway early Thursday morning, between 5:45 AM and 6:00 AM.
The accident occurred when the car veered off the road and fell into a 10-foot-deep canal, approximately 250 meters from Sediyapu Junction. The driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel. The passengers, who were returning home after attending a function in Mundur, were trapped inside the vehicle as one side became embedded in the soil while the driver’s side door faced upward.
The driver, Charan, a resident of Ujire in Belthangady taluk, was at the wheel. Among the passengers were Charan’s father, brother-in-law, and two children. Vansh, Charan’s nephew and a class 5 student, managed to open the door with great difficulty and climb out of the car. Despite his efforts, he was unable to help the other occupants escape.
Demonstrating remarkable presence of mind, Vansh climbed out of the canal and flagged down passing vehicles on the highway for assistance.
With the help of locals, all five occupants were rescued. Although they sustained minor injuries, they were promptly taken to a private hospital in Puttur for treatment.