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Death toll Karnataka bus accident rises to 30
The accident, involving a private bus, happened at Kanganamaradi village of Pandavapura taluk.
The death toll in the accident involving a private bus earlier on Saturday in Karnataka’s Mandya district rose to 30, the chief minister’s office said.
At least 30 people were killed when the bus they were travelling in fell into a canal at Kanganamaradi village of Pandavapura taluk of the district, in the second accident such accident in the state in a week.
There were eight children and seven elderly people among the dead, officials said. They added that two-year-old Preksha was the youngest and 70-year-old Ningamma the oldest among the victims.
“After inspecting the spot, I saw that the bus veered off the road and went over 60 feet of the bank around the canal and plunged into the waters,” state transport minister DC Thamanna said while addressing reporters at the accident site.
The problem, the minister said, was that there were barriers on the banks. “I will speak to the chief minister and ensure that this work is taken up at the earliest,” he said.
The state minor irrigation minister CS Puttaraju, who is in charge of the district, said the accident was caused by the negligence of the driver.
“We have already fished out 28 bodies and we will get a clearer picture soon. The driver appears to have gotten out of the bus and escaped. Apart from him, one student, Rohith, too, escaped,” he said.
Girish, another passenger who managed to escape, told reporters that the incident happened in a flash and instinct took over.
“Suddenly, we realised that the bus was veering off the road and before we realised it had plunged into the canal. Soon the water level started rising and I saw a window and broke it and swam to safety,” he said, adding that the bus had around 35 passengers.
Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy cancelled all his scheduled programmes and visited the accident site and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of those who were killed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply pained by the incident.
“Deeply pained the bus accident in Karnataka’s Mandya. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. May God give them strength in this hour of sadness,” Modi posted on Twitter.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, too, expressed grief.
“I’m sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka in which over 20 people are feared dead & many others injured. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he tweeted.
Six tourists from Mumbai died and 10 others were injured near Hubli when their bus collided with a truck on November 17.
