News & Pics: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (RD/CN)

Bantwal, May 11: An LPG tanker plunged into a gorge on the Mangalore–Bangalore NH 48 at Peramogaru, near here, on Tuesday May 10, triggering the possibility of gas leakage in the area.

Fire fighters from across Dakshina Kannada district arrived at the spot in six fire engines within an hour of the mishap in an effort to prevent any such leakage.

Tanker driver 43-year-old Sudhakar survived the mishap with some minor injuries.

The tanker was on its way to Bangalore after having filled gas from Mangalore. The mishap occurred when the tanker driver lost control of his vehicle along a steep curve located at the entrance of Dentadka
temple, near Peramogaru, on NH 48 on Tuesday afternoon.

The stretch of the NH 48 had been newly-asphalted and there are no protective barriers by the side of the road due to which the tanker plunged into the gorge beside the highway.

Policemen from Puttur town and patrol officers stopped traffic suspecting possibility of gas leakage.

Fire brigade chief officer H S Varadaraj, Puttur ASP Rohini Katoch, Puttur town circle inspector Srikant, and mobile police inspector Nagesh arrived at the spot and took precautions to prevent any leakage.

The long queue of traffic stretched for many kilometres all the while.

HPCL Non Co-operative

Though fire fighters were trying to seal the leakage from a few spots in the tanker, the authorities of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) did not send their experts to help the effort. Fire brigade chief officer H S Varadaraj expressed displeasure over HPCL authorities in for this. He also cited the apathy of HPCL in such cases in the past.