SHIVAMOGGA: Two people, including a bus driver, died while over 34 passengers got severely injured in a head-on collision between two speeding buses on the Kumudvathi bridge near Choradi on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as bus driver Thippeswamy and passenger Srinivas (45).
District Superintendent of Police Mithun Kumar confirmed about the accident to the media. Deputy Commissioner Selvamani also visited the spot and the hospital where the injured are being treated.
Sources said, the bus was plying from Shikaripura to Shivamogga and another bus was plying from Shivamogga to Sagar via Ayanur route when the accident occurred.
The bus driver Kalappa died on the spot while another bus driver was seriously injured. A total of 75-80 passengers were traveling in both the buses.
A few passengers are suspected to have died after the accident. The injured were shifted to McGann district hospital (SIMS). Member of Parliament B Y Raghavendra visited the hospital and inquired about the status of the injured.
SP Mithun Kumar said, “We are invistagating the case. Our first priority is to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. We will collect statements from everyone, especially who were sitting close to the driver. Most of the injured passengers are from Shikaripur. There is a Marathi colony near Choradi and most of them belonged to that area.
Deputy Commissioner Selvamani said, “We are referring the seriously injured to other hospitals to better treatment. Two people are in critical condition”.