Tumakuru accident: Kumaraswamy blames state govt, demands higher compensation

“Karnataka government only providing ₹5 lakh compensation is not fair they deserve ₹25 lakh each as compensation,” says former CM HD Kumaraswamy

Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has demanded compensation of Rs. 25 Lakhs for the victims of the Pavagada bus tragedy. Blaming the government and the transport department for the tragedy, Kumarswamy stated, by only paying a sum of ₹5 lakhs to the families of the deceased, the state government is trying to wash their hands off the responsibility and is being unfair to the families.

People gather near the mangled remains of a passenger bus after an accident, near Tumakuru, Saturday, March 19, 2022. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Kumaraswamy, who met the accident victims today, blamed the Transport Department of misconduct and negligence which led to the bus accident at Pavagada taluk in Tumakuru, killing 8 people.

“The tragedy is due to the misconduct and negligence of the Transport Department. The lives of students who had so many dreams were sacrificed. Chief Minister should take this disaster seriously and announce a larger amount of relief and assistance for the livelihood of dead families," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

There have been reports in the media since morning that the victims are not getting proper treatment. He suggested that government should immediately appoint an officer to take care of this and provide everyone free treatment.

The main reason behind the accident was overcrowding. Thousands of students take the bus daily while going to school yet there are only three buses on that route. 25 percent of the villages in this taluk have no bus connectivity.

On the morning of Saturday, March 19, eight people were killed and 25 others were seriously injured when a private bus they were riding in overturned in Palavalli Katte village near Pavagada town in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka. Most of the victims were students. It was a private bus operated by SVT Travels, with about 100 passengers on board, traveling from Pavagada to YN Hosakote town.

B Sriramulu, the State Transport Minister, declared that the State Government would pay 5 lakh in compensation to each of the deceased and that he would personally pay 1 lakh to each of the victims' families and 50,000 to the injured.