Belagavi police have arrested a 65-year-old truck driver from Maharashtra in connection with the car accident involving Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar, which occurred on January 14 near Kittur.
The accused, Madhukar Kondiram Somavanshi, a resident of Takararwadi in Indapur taluk of Pune district, was taken into custody after an extensive investigation. Minister Hebbalkar and her brother, MLC Channaraj Hattiholi, were injured in the incident, which was initially registered as a hit-and-run case.
According to the police, the minister’s car was struck on the right side by a truck, causing it to veer off the national highway onto the service road, where it collided with a tree. The vehicle was completely damaged in the crash.
Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar S. Guled confirmed the arrest and stated that the truck involved in the accident has been seized. He said that three special police teams were formed to trace the vehicle, with assistance from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the Transport Department.
“The vehicle’s colour and damage were matched, and the call records of the accused were also examined during the investigation,” SP Guled said in an official release.
The Kittur police are continuing their investigation into the case.