Bus on fire: MLC suffers heart attack

MLC Somanna Mal­l­appa Bevinamarad, who was travelling in the bus, suffered a mild heart attack and is being treated. Another passenger, Nagaraj, too sustained minor injuries and is being treated at a private hospital.

Around 6.30 am on Wednesday the bus got involved in a serial accident near Arashi­n­a­kunte in Nelamagala police limits. While the bus was travelling along the service road to enter the expressway on Tumkur Road, a lorry rammed it from behind. Officials suspect the early morning fog resulted in poor visibility, causing the accident.

The bus dri­ver too lost control and collided with ano­ther lorry that was coming on the wrong direction of the one-way.

Panic gripped bus passengers as thick plumes of smoke covered the bus. The MLC sustained a minor heart attack and was rushed to a private hospital.

In his statement to the police, the bus driver said that there were 17 passengers on board, of whom the MLA and a pas­senger sitting on seat number 26 sustained injuries and were shifted to hospitals.

The lorry driver and cleaner also sustained injuries and are being treated.

The condition of the MLC is said to be stable. Bevinamarad was shifted to Mallige Hospital near High Grounds.

Nagaraj, the other injured passenger on the bus, said that immediately after the accident, thick plumes of smoke engulfed the bus, choking the passengers and spreading panic. They tried to open the door at the rear left-end, but it was jammed. They also could not open the door near the driver’s seat.

“We shouted for help and the driver of another passing lorry came to our rescue and ope­ned the driver's door from outside with a crowbar,” Nagaraj said.