One killed, twenty students injured as vehicle overturns

Pick-up vehicle sought due to lack of frequent bus services

One student was killed and more than 20 students of the Government Polytechnic College sustained injuries as the vehicle in which they were travelling overturned near N Nidagodu in the taluk on Monday afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Dhanush Kumar (20), a student of first year diploma in Civil Engineering at Belur Polytechnic College. He is said to have been commuting everyday from Arkalgud to Belur.

The students have to travel in private vehicles to colleges as there is no frequent bus service. The Government Polytechnic College and YDD Government First Grade College are at a distance of three kms from the town.

On Monday, about 30 students boarded a pick-up vehicle to reach their colleges when it hit a milestone en route and overturned, resulting in the mishap. Out of 20 students, who were left injured, 10 are said to be in a serious condition.

Rathik, a polytechnic student suffered fractures of both the hands. Tanveer, Prashanth, Shankarappa, Venu, Bharath, Sharath, Manju, Darshan, Sanjay, the vehicle driver and his wife Veena sustained serious injuries and have been shifted to Hassan District Hospital for treatment.

Private buses

Polytechnic college lecturers Shekar and Vijayprakash and students said more than 1,000 students from nearby areas attend the colleges everyday. But as there are no frequent bus services between 8.30 am and 10 am, the students, in an effort to reach colleges on time, travel in private vehicles.

Several protests and memoranda submitted to officials demanding bus services have fallen on deaf ears, they complained.