YELLAPUR (UTTARA KANNADA): As many as 26 people suffered injuries after two buses plying between Mundgod and Yellapur collided head-on late Wednesday night. Six of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.
The accident occurred at Shidlagundi village in Yellapur taluk of Uttara Kannada district.
One bus was travelling from Bengaluru via Mundgod to Yellapur, while another was heading towards Mundgod.
According to the police, both buses were overspeeding and the collision was so severe that the front portions of the buses were completely damaged. The driver of one of the buses, Dhyamanagouda Birader, is battling for life.
Locals who rushed to the spot saw the driver in a critical condition and tried to rescue him. As he was trapped in the seat of the mangled bus, they had to bring in machines to cut through the metal to pull him out. He had suffered severe injuries and blood loss, and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Among the injured passengers from both buses, 16 were shifted to Yellapur Hospital and eight to Mundgod Government Hospital. Later, six of the critically injured, including Birader, were shifted to Hubballi’s Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences for further treatment.
Yellapur MLA Arabail Shivaram Hebbar and other local leaders visited the hospitals and consoled the injured and their family members. Further, investigations are on.