The Hindu : Front Page : Eleven killed as bus falls into gorge near Ooty

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Thursday, Jun 05, 2008
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Eleven killed as bus falls into gorge near Ooty

D. Radhakrishnan

— Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy

RESCUE OPERATION: Volunteers removing an injured passenger from the accident site on Wednesday.

Udhagamandalam: Eleven persons were killed and over 50 injured when an overloaded Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus went off the road below the Bison Valley View Point and rolled down a 150-metre gorge on Wednesday.

It was proceeding from Ooty to Moyar along the Kallatty ghat section around 10 a.m. when the accident took place. People from nearby areas such as Mavanallah rushed to the scene and helped the injured.

Ropes and sheets had to be used to bring up the bodies, which were lying scattered. While the bodies of six men, three women and a six-year-old boy were brought to the Government Headquarters Hospital here, another body was taken to the Government Hospital at Gudalur. Most of the injured were treated in Udhagamandalam; the others were attended to at Gudalur. Among the dead were driver Karthikeyan, conductor Halan, Mudumalai Ranger Sugumaran and Headmistress of the Government Tribal School, Mavanallah Indhrani.

Speaking to The Hindu, Joint Director of Health Jayalakshmi said as soon as the hospital was alerted, all available medical personnel were instructed to be in a state of preparedness to deal with the emergency. Though many of the passengers had suffered multiple injuries, these were not of a life threatening nature. Hence it was not necessary to refer any of them to Coimbatore.

Khadi Board Minister K. Ramachandran, who visited the hospital, said that Rs.50,000 would be given to relatives of the dead.

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