Mangaluru : Two former priests died after the jeep in which they were travelling fell into a ditch after being hit by a bullet tanker near Kottara Junction on Sunday.

The Mangaluru Traffic (West) police said John D’Souza (73) and Maxim Furtado (74), residing near Father Muller’s Hospital, were going to attend a mass in a church in Kulur. They were going in the jeep driven by Joseph Martis, the Rector of St. Joseph Seminary, Jeppu.

Near Kottara Junction, an LPG tanker hit the jeep while over taking it. Maxim Furtado died on the spot. John D’Souza and Joseph Martis were taken to a nearby private hospital. John D’Souza succumbed to the injury just as he was brought to the hospital.

The police have arrested Vetrivelan, the driver of the LPG tanker involved in the accident.