As many as 30 persons were killed when a private bus they were travelling in plunged into the Visvesvaraya Canal, near Pandavapura in Karnataka’s Mandya district, on Saturday. Among the dead were eight men, 13 women and nine children, the police said.
The accident occurred at 12.20 p.m. between Kanaganamaradi and Kurahatti Gate. The vehicle is said to have left Pandavapura for Mandya around 11.45 a.m., with at least 40 passengers. Minutes after crossing Kanaganamaradi, it plunged into the brimming canal.
Doors inaccessible
The passengers were trapped in the bus which fell on its left, making the doors inaccessible, the police said. However, Sagar, 11, and Girish, 23, managed to escape through the windows. The driver Shivanna is said to have jumped out.
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy rushed to the spot with Ministers C.S. Puttaraju and D.C. Thammanna.
He later announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh to the families of the dead. Most of those killed were from nearby Vadesamudra village, locals said.
The bus which was completely submerged in the water was lifted using a hydraulic crane by 2.40 p.m. A massive operation was launched to trace the missing persons, who are suspected to have been swept away in the fast currents. The water flow into the canal from the Krishnaraja Sagar dam has been suspended to facilitate the search.
RTO suspended
The 32-seater bus was registered around 18 years ago in Mangaluru and had changed hands at least eight times.
Although the vehicle had the Certificate of Fitness (FC), which was valid till June 2019, its mechanical condition was “worst”, the police said.
Following the incident, the government ordered suspension of the Regional Transport Officer concerned.
President, PM condole
President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and State opposition leader B.S Yeddyurappa expressed grief over the loss of lives.