Seven people, including two women were killed and about 30 injured on Saturday, when a speeding state roadways Volvo bus fell into a dry culvert in Karnataka’s Hassan district, said police.
“The incident occurred around 3.30 a.m. when the luxury bus fell into the culvert after crashing into the railings of a small bridge on the state highway 75 and plunged,” Hassan district Deputy Superintendent of Police Shashidhar told IANS on phone.
The victims included the driver and conductor of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus and five passengers as it was going from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district on the west coast, about 320km away.
Of the 44 passengers, the 30 injured passengers were rushed to a state-run hospital at Hassan for treatment after they were extricated from the mangled bus.
“Though the cause of the accident is under investigation, a few passengers onboard the bus said the bus hit the railings after the driver lost its control when he dozed off at the wheel,” said Shashidar.
The deceased were identified as T.D. Diana, 22, from Mangaluru and Sonia, 28 from Dharmasthala.
The five male victims were conductor Shivappa Chalavadi, 45, driver Laxman, 50, Biju from Belthangdi, Rajesh Prabhu, 26 from Dharmasthala and Gangadhar, 55, from Bengaluru.
“A case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the KSRTC and the bus company,” added Shashidhar.
State Transport Minister H.M. Revanna expressed shock over the accident and announced Rs 3 lakh compensation to the kin of all the deceased.