SHIVAMOGGA: The driver of a KMF tanker lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve near Mavinahole village in Shivamogga district on Monday and the tanker toppled into a roadside ditch. The impact was such that the driver fell into the ditch, and milk gushed out of the vehicle, trapping him.

Unable to crawl out and with none to rescue him, he drowned as the milk level rose. Soon, the villagers of Mavinahole, 3km away on the Hosanagar road, rushed to the spot. On the way, two men on a moped skidded on the highway and suffered injuries. They were rescued by fellow villagers and rushed to hospital. The driver's body was later extricated. The KMF collection tanker was on its way from Sagar to Mangaluru, and was taking the road via Hosanagar. The tanker was carrying 2,000-3,000 litres of milk, which ran in rivulets down the highway.

The accident spot is on an unlit stretch of road where vehicles are known to speed.

It was a day of accidents in Shivamogga district, where two other persons were also killed and seven were injured in the past 24 hours.

At Agumbe, Meera, 30, was killed after her car collided with a two-wheeler. She was travelling from Davanagere to Mangaluru, and the car driver tried to avoid the bike. The rider and pillion were seriously injured and hospitalized.

In Tyavarekoppa, Sharath, 18, died on the spot and three of his friends were seriously injured after their car hit a tree. Sharath had come here to visit his relatives and the foursome was on their way to visit the Tiger Lion Safari near Tyavarekoppa.

According to police, all three accidents happened due to negligence and rash driving.

Miraculous escape: Driver and cleaner of a fertilizer truck escaped unhurt after their truck hit a bridge and plunged into a 30-ft deep gorge. The truck was headed to Davanagere via Sagar when it hit the bridge near Ganapathi tank area in Shivamogga.