Mangalore: Students Stranded After Bus Runs Havoc, Police to the Rescue

Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Mar 10: It is not often that policemen are in the news for good deeds, except when they catch hold of criminals. Time and again there are complaints of how they harass citizens for trivial things, and the general tendency is to avoid the police at all costs.

But here is a case that not only brought to light they kind-heartedness, but also won them much appreciation from those who suffered for no fault of theirs.

Earlier this week, the students of a college in Chitradurga who had come to Mangalore on a 3-day tour had a terrible experience, one they would not easily forget. They had been to Pilikula and had left at around noon to visit other places as scheduled.

But unfortunately, their bus was under the control of a drunken driver.

The bus left Pilikula as scheduled and was heading towards the city. The inebriated driver drove insanely, hitting a car at Vamanjoor at around 12.30 pm, but not stopping, and then ramming into two bikes near Kudupu and injuring the riders. But all this did not deter the driver from speeding on, as if nothing had happened. For the students it was nothing less than a roller-coaster ride, and many times more dangerous.

However, some people did manage to forcibly stop the bus near Kudupu and intimated the Mangalore rural police, Kankanady station about the incident.

The Kankanady police rushed to the spot and took both the drunken driver and the bus into custody. The students were also brought to the police station in the bus itself at around 1 pm. The lecturers accompanying the students informed the bus owner and the people concerned about the incident so that they could make some other arrangements to take them back as they had no other means of returning.

However, though the bus owner reportedly agreed to make alternate arrangements, there was no news from him for hours togethers. The students and lecturers continued to wait, going without food.

That is where the police stepped in. The students suffered for no fault of theirs, and had to go without food too. The policemen noticed their plight and in a show of compassion, provided food to the starving group.

Ravish Nayak, circle inspector made all the arrangements for them. He sent his staff - Kushalappa, Keshava, Pramod and Chidanand to get them food in their jeep. The policemen then distributed the food to the students.

The students were made comfortable and their happiness with the policemen was evident. This incident in fact is a true example of the public-police bond building stronger. The students thanked the policemen for their efforts in helping them despite their busy schedules.

Such kind-heartedness and concern is what the public expects from the police. Hats off to Ravish Nayak and his team.

Meanwhile, the students returned home the same evening, by another bus arranged by the bus owner from Chitradurga.