Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP/JD)

Kundapur, Oct 18: A harrowing incident unfolded on Wednesday, October 18 evening as a private bus, operated recklessly by its driver despite objections from passengers, met with in an accident causing injuries to 15 individuals. The bus collided with a light pole on the highway and overturned on the nearby road, leaving several passengers wounded.

The mishap occurred at Arate on NH 66, and the bus, identified as a local APM bus plying from Kundapur to Byndoor, had departed from Kundapur Shastri Circle that evening. According to the injured passengers, they raised concerns about the driver's excessive speed right from the outset of the journey. Regrettably, their objections went unheeded, as the driver continued to drive at an alarming pace. Despite having roughly eight kilometers to cover, including five scheduled stops, the driver managed to complete the distance within five minutes, much to the passengers' shock and dismay.

The injured passengers, including a nine-month pregnant woman, were promptly admitted to various hospitals in Kundapur for medical care. In a commendable act of kindness, Ibrahim Gangolli from Gangolli's Apatbhandhava Ambulance and BJP leader Sharat Shetty Uppunda assisted in transferring the injured to the hospital using an Innova car.

This reckless incident has ignited public outrage against the driver's gross negligence, with passengers fervently calling for his arrest and legal action to be taken against him. The Gangolli police are currently conducting an investigation into the matter.