Padubidri: A 54-year-old man was killed in a road accident near the Uchila Mosque on NH-66 in Bada village early Tuesday morning.

The deceased was identified as Manjappa Karibasannavar, a native of Hanagal in Haveri district.

An unidentified vehicle hit Manjappa and fled the scene, leaving him injured on the highway. Subsequent vehicles ran over his body, leaving it severely mutilated.

The incident came to light only when people praying at a nearby mosque noticed the injured man on the road. The driver of the vehicle responsible for the collision is reported to have been overspeeding and negligent.

Manjappa, a hotel worker, had been in the Uchila area for the past few days. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. After a post-mortem examination, his body was handed over to his family and taken to Hanagal for final rites.

Poor Highway Infrastructure Blamed

Locals alleged that even after the highway was resurfaced, the NH-66 stretch lacked basic safety measures, such as streetlights, blinkers, and signal lights. Authorities from the NHAI and toll management have failed to take action despite two fatal accidents in the Padubidri police jurisdiction this year, they added.

Protest Threatened Over Negligence

The Uchila Highway Action Committee, enraged by the incident, has issued a memorandum to highway authorities through the Padubidri police. They warned that if immediate corrective measures are not taken within two days, they will block highway traffic on January 20 in protest against the unsafe road conditions.