Daijiworld Media Network - Chikmagalur (SP)

Chikmagalur, Jul 30: A woman died and more than 90 others were injured, when a overcrowded KSRTC bus plunged into a field while negotiating a rough road near a tank in Ambale village near here, on Tuesday July 29.

The condition of six injured persons is stated to be critical. The deceased has been identified as Lata (17) from Halmidi village. Critically injured Sumitra (17) and Ramesh (11) were rushed to NIMHANS hospital in Bangalore while Siddamma was admitted into a hospital in Mangalore. Four persons are being treated in the intensive care unit of the district hospital here. Other injured were treated at the district hospital as out patients.

The bus, loaded with students and labourers numbering over 100, went out of control because of the wretched road and speeding wind that blew when the bus was moving at a height on the tank bund, eye witness accounts stated.

Local auto drivers and vehicles that carry labourers to coffee estates voluntarily plunged into action and carried the injured to hospitals. Transport minister R Ashok has announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lac to the family of deceased Lata. The corporation will meet the hospitalisation expenses of all those injured in the accident, he said.

The villagers gathered at the accident site gave vent to their anger against the apathy shown by political leaders who they said, were callous to the bad condition of roads. They warned, that they would soon organize dharnas to draw the government's attention to the state of roads here.