Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur

Puttur, May 16: A mysterious incident unfolded near Shiradi Ghati late on the night of May 14, when a passenger aboard a KSRTC bus vanished into the dense forest area under suspicious circumstances. The incident has triggered a police search in the region.

The man, identified as Shripal Narre (37), a native of Madhya Pradesh, was travelling on a KSRTC bus from Bengaluru to Mangaluru. As the bus reached the remote stretches of Shiradi Ghati, Narre requested a brief halt citing the need to relieve himself. The conductor, assuming it was a routine stop, allowed him to get off.

However, within moments, Narre reportedly bolted into the darkness of the highway stretch and did not return. After waiting for a while, the bus staff resumed the journey and promptly alerted the Uppinangady police.

Police teams arrived at the spot and launched an initial investigation. They collected Shripal Narre’s Aadhaar card and other belongings, which were left behind on the bus. Despite thorough searches in the surrounding area, the individual remains untraceable as of now.

Authorities suspect that the man may have deliberately planned the escape. Efforts are ongoing to trace his whereabouts, with the police not ruling out the possibility of a larger motive.