The “Rome of the East” or the “City of Seven Hills” as Mangalore is known which is also one of the fastest growing cities in India, was supposed to wake to 58th Republic Day on Saturday. Mangaloreans had another reason to rejoice — “Konkani Niranthari,” the feat of finding a place in the Guinness World Records for the world’s longest singing marathon (40 hours) by multiple singers comprising about 1,711 singers (44 troupes) with 645 songs.

But tragedy struck the City in the form of a horrible accident near Ullal bridge wherein 8 persons were charred to death while two suffered critical burn injuries and one escaped miraculously. (Five persons were killed in bus-truck collision near Kunigal and 2 others killed when bus rammed against a tree in Mudigere thus taking the mishap toll to 15 in State on Republic Day).

However, even before many a people in the City could learn about the ghastly mishap, the news of the death of one of the senior most Congress leaders in the district, Mr Blasius D’Souza, spread across the City.

Many a people knew that Mr D’Souza was not well for quite some time. But no one thought that his end will come so soon, said his contemporary and another Congress leader B A Moideen.

It may be recalled that the sinking of the Eritrian ship near Thannirbavi on June 23 last was also a Saturday wherein three sailors were killed.