Mangaluru (The Hindu): The village had witnessed a ghastly bullet tanker mishap in April 2013 killing 8 people.

A bullet tanker transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Mangaluru to Bengaluru overturned on NH 66 near Perne in Puttur taluk on Saturday morning.

Though there were no casualties, LPG was found leaking from the tanker. The police immediately closed the highway to vehicular traffic and called the fire and emergency services personnel.

Puttur Rural Police told The Hindu that the road would be opened for traffic only after the completion of the evacuation work. Three fire tenders were pressed into service. While heavy vehicles on Mangaluru-Bengaluru route were diverted via Uppinangady and Puttur, smaller ones were diverted via Perlampady, the police said.

Bullet tankers have been a nightmare for road users, particularly for residents of Perne. As many as six people were charred to death instantaneously and two died of injuries later after a bullet tanker exploded after turning turtle on April 9, 2013.

Every month, minor and major mishaps involving bullet tankers are being reported on NH 75. It is common for every alternative day for a tanker getting toppled on Shiradi Ghat thereby blocking traffic on the busy NH for hours together.