8 dead, a dozen injured as Dharmastala bound bus falls off bridge in Hassan

Hassan, Jan 13: At least eight persons including two women died and around a dozen passengers suffered injuries when a KSRTC Airavata Bus fell off a bridge near Karekere on National Highway 75 in Hassan taluk around 3.30 am on Saturday. The bus was heading to Dharmastala from Bengaluru.

The police and ambulance reached the spot after nearby residents alerted them.

Sources said that seven people died on the spot while an injured passenger died at a hospital.

Five of the victims have been identified as Diana (22) from Mangaluru, Gangadhar N. (30) from Bengaluru and Bijo (25) from Belthangadi, besides the bus driver Lakshman and conductor Shivappa Chalavadi.

Two passengers who have been seriously injured are being treated in a private hospital in Hassan.

The reason for the accident is not known, though the police suspects that it could have been caused due to the driver’s negligence. The incident happened in Shantigrama Police Station limits.