MANDYA: In all, 41 tourists from West Bengal sustained injuries and 19 others escaped unhurt after a bus they were travelling in fell into a vacant field on the outskirts of Maddur town on the Mysuru-Bengaluru road on Sunday. The tourists, who hail from 24 Paraganas and surrounding districts in West Bengal, had set out on a tour on February 17.
While four among the 41 tourists suffered fractures, the remaining suffered minor injuries and are being treated at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS). In all 60 were travelling in the bus when the mishap occurred, said Maddur traffic police personnel.
The mishap occurred when the bus driver, Nirmal Mandal, lost control over the vehicle near Aishwarya School, when a truck moving in front of them slowed down. Though he turned towards his left, to avoid hitting the heavy vehicle, he lost control, as a sugarcane laden tractor had been parked in the middle of the road. One of the tyres of the tractor had punctured as well. Eventually, the bus veered off the road and plunged into the field, before overturning, resulting in the injuries.
The tourists who had visited tourist spots in and around Mysuru on Saturday, were travelling towards Bengaluru on Sunday, when the mishap took place, he added.
Following the incident, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy called on the injured persons at the hospital. He also told media that the CM had spoken to his counterpart in West Bengal in this regard.