At least 30 people, including five children, died after the bus they were travelling in fell into a canal in Karnataka’s Mandya district on Saturday, ANI reported. The accident occurred in Kanganamaradi village of Pandavapura town. The driver survived the accident.
“After inspecting the spot, I saw that the bus veered off the road and went over 60 feet of the bank around the canal and plunged into the waters,” state Transport Minister DC Thamanna said, according to the Hindustan Times. The absence of barriers on the banks is the biggest problem, he added. “I will speak to the chief minister and ensure that this work is taken up at the earliest.”
The state’s Minor Irrigation Minister CS Puttaraju, who is in charge of Mandya district, said the driver’s negligence caused the accident. “We have already fished out 28 bodies and we will get a clearer picture soon,” Puttaraju said. “The driver appears to have gotten out of the bus and escaped. Apart from him, one student, Rohith, too, escaped.”
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy visited the accident site and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased, ANI reported. The chief minister is considering postponing the state cinema award ceremony, his office tweeted.
Several national leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi expressed their condolences.
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