Truck driver arrested in Minister's hit-and-run case

Belagavi

In a breakthrough in the case of the car accident involving Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, the truck driver responsible for the hit-and-run has been arrested after three months. Madhukar Somavanshi, the driver, was apprehended by Kittur police in Belagavi, following a detailed investigation. The arrest took place in Indapur, Pune district.

Initially, Madhukar denied his involvement in the accident, but the police traced him using phone call details and gathered evidence. The police had previously analyzed CCTV footage from the area near the Hirabagewadi toll, leading them to question 69 truck drivers. Eventually, the truck involved in the crash was identified, and the driver was caught.

The accident occurred on January 14 when Minister Hebbalkar's vehicle was struck by the truck while she was traveling from Bengaluru to Belagavi. The minister sustained severe neck injuries. After the incident, Hebbalkar’s driver, Shivaprasad, filed a complaint with the Kittur police. The police then launched an investigation, collecting color samples of ten vehicles and sending them to the Forensic Science Laboratory.

Belagavi District SP Bheemashankar Guled confirmed the arrest and revealed that Madhukar had confessed to the crime during questioning. The police plan to file a charge sheet soon. Madhukar has been granted station bail.