Daijiworld Media Network – Kaup
Kaup, Jul 27: Panic gripped passengers after two private express buses allegedly collided deliberately at the Kaup bus stand on Monday morning, disrupting traffic on the service road for nearly 15 minutes. Police have since arrested four persons in connection with the incident and seized both buses.
The incident occurred on the service road near the Kaup bus stand. According to eyewitnesses, a bus travelling from Udupi towards Mangaluru allegedly rammed into the rear right side of another bus that had stopped at the bus stand to pick up and drop off passengers.
Sources said tension had reportedly been building between the drivers and conductors of the two buses over timing and overtaking issues since Udyavar. The situation escalated when the Sandesh Travels bus halted at the Kaup bus stand, allegedly leading to the collision.
The impact jolted passengers in both buses, causing panic among those on board. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported.
Following the incident, the drivers of both buses allegedly blamed each other and refused to move their vehicles from the road. Despite repeated requests from local residents and auto-rickshaw drivers to clear the service road, both buses remained stationary, causing a traffic jam and disrupting vehicular movement for around 15 minutes.
Residents alerted the Kaup police, who promptly reached the spot, brought the situation under control, and escorted both buses to the Kaup police station for further inquiry.
Based on the investigation, police arrested four persons allegedly involved in the altercation over the timing dispute. The arrested have been identified as bus drivers Ramesh and Abhishek, and conductors Vijaykumar and Harish B Hegde. A case has been registered at the Kaup police station, and both buses have been seized as part of the investigation.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the operation of private express buses on the Kaup service road. Local residents have renewed their demand for a ban on express buses using the service road, alleging that reckless driving, competition for passengers, and frequent disputes among bus operators continue to endanger public safety.