Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Jun 18: A passenger died and several others were injured after a private bus tumbled down off the road on Wednesday June 18 morning at Halady in the taluk. It is said that the driver of the bus lost control over the vehicle, as its axle broke down.
The ill-fated bus had left Siddapur at 6.50 pm on its way to Udupi. It crossed Shankarnarayana sometime later, and was crossing Halady Bridge, when the axle of the bus snapped. The driver as a result, could not control the speed and direction of the bus, which was then moving down on the steep road near Maruluchikku Temple. The bus then hurtled off the side of the road.
The bus had a sizable number of students and others who were bound to their schools and workplaces. Sumanth (19) lost his life on the spot, while a number of students and other passengers suffered grievous injuries. The injured were shifted to hospitals in Manipal, Kundapur, and Halady, depending on the nature of their injuries. The bus driver is said to have suffered critical injuries. A case was filed in this connection at Shankarnarayana police station.
The deceased was a native of Shankarnarayana. He worked for a firm in Hebri. Some passengers who survived the ordeal without being hurt said that Sumanth had come running from behind after the bus started its onward journey, and boarded the moving bus a few seconds after it left the bus stand. It is said that he was in a hurry as he thought he might reach his workplace late if he waits for next bus. He would have survived if he had arrived at the bus stand a few seconds later.
Several locals gave vent to their anger at the total apathy being shown by owners of private buses towards passenger safety. They alleged that this accident occurred, as the bus operator failed to maintain the vehicle in good condition through periodical inspection and maintenance. A large number of locals and passengers favoured running of government buses in place of private ones, as they feel that transport department follows rules relating to vehicle maintenance and passenger safety strictly.