Five people were killed, and 30 were injured when a private bus overturned near Jetti Agrahara in Koratagere taluk of Tumakuru district on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses told the police that the driver was speeding when an autorickshaw entered the main road from Baraka village road. “The driver applied the brakes and tried to swerve to avoid hitting the autorickshaw, but lost control of the wheel,” said the police quoting eyewitnesses.
Three people were killed on the spot, while two succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital. There were 70 passengers in the bus that left Pavagada at 6.30 a.m. and was headed to Tumakuru. Residents of Jetti Agrahara and nearby villages rushed to the spot to help rescue the passengers who were trapped in the bus. The bus driver, Imran, who survived with minor injuries, was taken into police custody after being treated at Madhugiri taluk government hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Imran (18) from Gerahalli, Akram Pasha (28), a resident of Holavanahalli, Mohammed Sajad (19) of Koratagere, Shivakumar (27) of Pulumachinahalli in Madhugiri taluk, and Srinivas (40) of Kodigenahalli in Madhugiri taluk.
District in-charge Minister J.C. Madhuswamy, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, and Superintendent of Police K. Vamsikrishna visited the spot. Angry residents demanded that officials ensure that buses adhere to speed limits. “Drivers of private buses compete with each other to pick more passengers on their route and are known to drive rashly and negligently,” said residents.
The former Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who visited Tumakuru district government hospital to meet with the injured passengers, demanded that the State government provide a compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the family of the deceased. Mr. Madhuswamy said he would speak to the Chief Minister about compensation.
The Koratagere police registered a case against the bus owner, Sujatha Jaganath, and as well as the driver.
