TUMAKURU: In a ghastly mishap, five youths including two college students were killed and over forty four sustained severe injuries when an overcrowded private bus careened at Palavalli village’s tank in Pavagada taluk on Saturday morning.
The state government announced Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to the kin of the deceased and `50,000 each to the injured. Transport minister B Sriramulu, who paid a visit to Pavagada following the instructions of CM Basavaraj Bommai, made an announcement to that effect. He announced `1 lakh each to the kin of the deceased on his own behalf.
He also instructed the officials concerned to cancel the permit of the private buses operating in the jurisdiction of Pavagada and promised the operation of adequate KSRTC buses. Ramulu visited the injured at Pavagada and Tumakuru government hospitals later in the evening.
CM Bommai who expressed shock had ordered a probe into the incident as to whether the ill-fated private bus was fit and fine to be operated following which suitable action will be taken against those responsible for the incident.
Home minister Araga Jnanendra, who was at his hometown Tirtahalli, admitted that the bus was overcrowded as another one scheduled at around the same time was cancelled.
About 80-90 passengers including 30 on its top were travelling in the SVT private bus-a shuttle which was bound to Pavagada town from Y N Hosakote picking up the passengers-mostly the working class and the students enroute. “It’s a peak hour and since there were no alternative modes of public transportation the students inevitably boarded the bus ‘’, informed Nagendra, an eyewitness. The driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to negotiate a curve on the Palavalli tank past Veerammanahalli around 9 a.m.
“He was driving rashsly and did not pay heed to some of the passengers who advised to slow down,” remarked Darshan, a school student who was among the injured.