Narrow escape for Bhajarangi 2 crew

Sixty crew members of Kannada film Bhajarangi 2 had a narrow escape after their bus crashed into an electricity pole at Mosarahalli near Nelamangala on the northern outskirts of Bengaluru on Saturday morning, police said.

A few artistes sitting in the front portion of the bus sustained minor injuries but no complaint was filed, Nelamangala rural police said.

A police officer said the accident occurred around 8.30 am when the crew was travelling to the Mohan B Kere Studio at Chikkamaranahalli for a shoot. The driver was apparently speeding and lost control of the bus which first brushed against a car before ramming the pole. A power cable fell on the bus but a tragedy was averted as the supply had been disconnected for maintenance works, the officer added.

The bus driver later told the police that he had tried to take a turn when the car came in the opposite direction. He tried to drive to the side of the road but ended up hitting the pole. After learning about the accident, a Bescom team arrived at the spot and lifted the pole and the wires.

The road accident has left the crew shell-shocked as it's the second untoward incident to hit the film's shooting in a matter of days. Just two days ago, a fire broke out on the sets of the film, gutting parts of an artificial cave created for the shooting. The crew had escaped narrowly. Actor Shiva Rajkumar, who plays the lead role in the film, was present at the sets at that time.