The Hindu : Front Page : 23 killed as mini bus plunges into the Krishna river

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006

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23 killed as mini bus plunges into the Krishna river

Staff Correspondent

Five survive; 12 bodies retrieved; water discharge from the Alamatti Dam stopped to facilitate the rescue operation

PHOTOS: PTI

WATERY GRAVE: Army rescue workers lifting the bus that fell into the Krishna river at Badarabandi village in Bijapur, Karnataka, on Tuesday.

ALAMATTI (BIJAPUR DISTRICT): At least 23 persons, including nine children, were killed and five injured when the mini bus in which they were travelling fell into the Krishna here on Tuesday. Most of the dead were from Bahadurbandi and Agalkera villages near Koppal and Gangavathi in Koppal district. All of them were relatives.

The vehicle fell into the river from the Alamatti Bridge on National Highway 13 after hitting a motorcycle around 11.30 a.m. By 6 p.m., rescue teams were able to retrieve 12 bodies. Soon after the accident, water discharge from the Alamatti Dam located one km upstream was stopped to facilitate the rescue operation.

Trapped in the vehicle, most of the victims, a majority of whom were children and women, died instantly.

Five persons, including two women and an 11-year-old boy, came out of the vehicle through the windows and were rescued. Those who survived are Annapurnamma and Earamma, Pradeepkumar Angadi, driver of the vehicle Nagaraj Angadi and cleaner of the vehicle Nagaraj.

Rescuers retrieve a body from the submerged bus.

There were contradictory reports about the number of passengers in the vehicle as the survivors and their relatives gave different versions.

There were 28 passengers, according to Shivkumar Angadi, who lost five of his family members, including his wife and daughter Puja.

They arrived at Koodalasangama around 10 a.m. where they offered "baasingas" (wedding headgears) of the new couples, Sharanappa and Shilpa and Kotresh and Shashikala, to the river.

After offering puja at the Sangamanath temple, they left for Alamatti. They were to return to their native place after a visit to the Alamatti Dam site. The new couples were among the dead.

Eyewitnesses said at least three bodies were washed away.

Police and other officers from Bagalkot and Bijapur districts rushed to the spot.Traffic on the National Highway was affected for more than four hours.

Bangalore Staff Reporter reports:

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has condoled the death of the 23 persons in the accident. He has announced a compensation of Rs. 50,000 each for the families of the victims.

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