Accident near Belur leaves 8 dead, 52 injured. Driver of the 6-yr-old KSRTC bus says its steering wheel, brake had problems.
Eight people were killed and 52 injured—two of them seriously—when the rickety KSRTC bus they were traveling in rolled for more than 15 feet and plunged into a lake near Belur on Tuesday morning.
The bus was coming from Sakleshpur and going towards Belur. The accident took place about 9.30 am, when the bus rolled into the Vishnusamudra lake at the entrance of Sakleshpur taluk.
The injured have been admitted to Chamaraja Hospital at Hassan. Of the eight who got killed, only the bus conductor, Vishwanath, has been identified. His body was stuck under the bus in the lake.
The bus driver, Suresh, surrendered himself to Belur police. He told them the bus’s steering wheel and brakes had problems. He told police that he helped 11 passengers get out of the bus after it fell into the lake. He said he broke open a window pane and helped the passengers get out. He said these passengers rescued others who were stuck inside. His shoulder and legs got injured in the mishap.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy visited the accident site. He said the government has asked the KSRTC to give Rs3 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased. Hassan district medical officer has been asked to ensure the injured are not charged for the treatment. Reddy said villagers have complained to him that many buses that are plying are not roadworthy. He said he would review the status of the KSRTC’s Suvarna Karnataka Sarige fleet upon returning to Bangalore.
Another bus bites the dust
Another KSRTC bus met with an accident after it went out of control in Sakleshpur on Tuesday. The accident took place near Planters’ Club when the bus, going to Hassan from Sakleshpur, fell sideways on a roadside ditch.
Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries. This bus too belongs to Sakleshpur depot of the KSRTC.
Here too, the reason of the accident was a severed steering column.
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