Karnataka: 26 students, driver injured in school bus accident in Haveri

The incident took place at around 4.15am on Tuesday when the bus carrying 53 students and six teachers from a government high school from Raichur district students was going for a school trip to the rock garden in Haveri district

At least 26 students and the driver of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus sustained injuries after the bus they were travelling in overturned in Haveri district, police said on Tuesday.

The bus was carrying at least 56 students and six teachers of a government high school from Raichur district. (Representational Image)

The incident took place at around 4.15am on Tuesday when the bus carrying 53 students and six teachers from a government high school from Raichur district students was going for a school trip to the rock garden in Haveri district, police said.

“The condition of the driver and three children is critical, and they were rushed to KIMS at Hubballi and later to a private hospital in Hubballi. Others who sustained minor injuries were treated at the government hospital in Savanur in Shiggav taluk,” said Raichur superintendent of police (SP) Anshukumar.

The three critically injured students were identified as Savita Amaregoudru, Vidyashree Shangoudru, and Guruprasad Mavinabhavi, along with the driver Malappa Hosur.

The government Kannada medium school at Sajjalgudd in Lingasur taluk of Raichur district had arranged an annual educational tour for its high school section to the rock garden at Gotagoddi village in Shiggav taluk in Haveri district, for which it had booked a bus from East West State Road Transport Corporation. Fifty-three students and six teachers boarded the bus from the school campus on Monday night.

SP Anshukumar said the bus overturned and fell beside the road near Bevinhal cross after the driver Hosur lost control of the bus in an attempt to avoid a collision with a car coming from the other side.

The officer added that the car was overspeeding which led to the accident. “The car didn’t stop even after witnessing the bus overturned due to its mistake,” SP Anshukumar said.

Quoting the hospital authorities, SP Anshukumar said all, including those injured seriously, were out of danger.

Lingasur block education officer (BEO) MF Barki said, “The school and I advised the parents and relatives rushing to the hospital not to panic, as all their children are safe and out of danger”. The school also deployed a few staff to be at school and coordinate with the parents.

BEO Barki said the bus, before overturning, hit a roadside cement electric pole, which got cut into two pieces, and its live wires fell on the ground. The bus, after taking two overturned rounds, fell beside the live electric wires. “There would be an unimaginable tragedy if the live electric wire could touch the bus or students; staff kept their foot on it,” BEO Barki said.