A private bus fell into the Vishveshwaraiah Canal on Saturday around noon at Kanaganamaradi village near Pandavapura town, in Mandya district in south Karnataka killing at least 30 people, most of them schoolchildren, officials said.
According to police sources, the bus skidded off the bridge and fell into the Cauvery river canal. Sources said more than 40 people were travelling on the bus which was going to Mandya town. The schoolchildren had boarded the bus after Saturday’s morning class.
Still rescue operations were on, said officials. An eyewitness said many passengers could not escape from the bus as it fell trapping the doors on the floor of the canal. The bus soon submerged. The driver reportedly managed to come out of the bus and swam to safety.
Farmers working in nearby fields started the rescue work immediately and saved a few passengers, said sources.
Bodies of at least 10 children have been found so far by rescuers.
It is understood that a Class VII student who jumped out of the bus at the last minute is the lone survivor. The boy, Rohit, is still in a state of shock and is yet to confirm the exact number of people travelling on the bus.
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy rushed to the accident site and announced an ex gratia payment of rupees five lakh to the kith and kin of the dead.
The CM accompanied by other local leaders spent time supervising rescue work and consoled the kith and kin of the dead. He said more buses will be introduced to these rural areas.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and many other leaders have condoled the death of 25 passengers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "Deeply pained the bus accident in Karnataka’s Mandya. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. May God give them strength in this hour of sadness."
Rahul also shared his condolences on Twitter. "I’m sorry to hear about the terrible bus accident in Mandya district of Karnataka in which over 20 people are feared dead and many others injured. "I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Gandhi tweeted.
"All the appointments of the Chief Minister have been cancelled for the day. An award ceremony that was to be held later in the evening has been cancelled till further notice," the Chief Minister’s Office tweeted.
"I believe the driver was not driving properly... I will find out," Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara said.