One more person injured in the accident reported at Choradi near Kumsi in Shivamogga taluk on Thursday evening died at a hospital in Shivamogga on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Malleshappa, 45, of Chikka Jogihalli in Shikaripur taluk. With that, the toll has increased to three.
Two private buses had a head-on collision on NH 206, leaving two dead on the spot and more than 35 injured. Arun Kumar, 43, of Esur in Shikaripur taluk, and Thippeswamy, 40, of Hosadurga in Chitradurga district, died on the spot. Arun Kumar was driving the bus belonging to Venkatamahalakshmi Transport.
No permit
Private buses belonging to Venkatamahalakshmi Transport and Srinivasa Transport were involved in the accident.
Gangadhara J.P., RTO of Shivamogga Division, told The Hindu that the bus belonging to Srinivasa Transport had no permit to operate in Shivamogga. “As it had no permit, the fitness certificate will get cancelled automatically. We will also serve a notice to the owner for violating the permit conditions. Besides that, the operator cannot claim any insurance for violating the rules”, he said.
The negligence of the driver of the bus, which belonged to Venkatamahalakshmi Transport, is said to be the cause of the accident. He was allegedly on his mobile phone while driving, and he also tried to overtake another vehicle in the narrow lane, resulting in the accident.
Mr. Gangadhara told The Hindu that, as per the information he gathered from the scene, it was clear that the driver was attending to a call on the phone. “He tried to overtake a vehicle in a narrow lane, while he was on the phone”, he said. The driver of Srinivasa Transport bus was also rash. He was overspeeding in the accident-prone zone.
“I appeal to all drivers to avoid mobile phones so that accidents can be avoided. We have been conducting awareness programmes on safe driving. This accident should serve as a lesson to the public”, the RTO said.
