The Hindu : Karnataka News : Conductor admits to driving bus

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Conductor admits to driving bus

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR, JAN. 11. Siddappa Pujari, the conductor of the bus that plunged into the Alamatti canal on Monday killing 58 persons, today confessed that he was driving the bus at the time of the accident.

Till this morning, Pujari, who is being treated at the district hospital here, maintained that he was not in the driver's seat as alleged by some of the survivors.

After escaping from the bus with minor injuries, instead of alerting the nearby Nidagundi police, he reached Bijapur, 65 km from the accident spot, and informed the police about the accident before being admitted to hospital. He also made a statement before the North East Karnataka Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) officials in the morning in which he said he had not been driving the bus.

Confession

However, in a turnaround, he admitted before the Superintendent of Police, Seemant Kumar Singh, who called on him in the hospital around 11 a.m., that he was in the driver's seat when the bus fell into the Alamatti Left Bank Canal at a sharp curve on the Alamatti-Nidagundi road.

According to him, he chose to drive the bus as the regular driver, Venkat Reddy, who died in the accident, told him that he was feeling sleepy. He claimed that Reddy had vacated the driver's seat for him when the bus was in motion. Before he (Pujari) could take the controls, the bus plunged into the canal at the curve, he claimed even as presspersons recorded his statement.

Qualified driver

He also said he had a valid driving licence, which was confirmed by the NEKRTC officials who were present. They said the corporation had appointed him as conductor-cum-driver.

Taken into custody

Later, Pujari was taken into police custody as the doctors certified that he did not need hospitalisation.

Mr. Singh told presspersons that the police had registered a case against him even before his confession based on a complaint from other survivors.

One more unidentified body was recovered from the canal near the accident spot, taking the death toll to 58.

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