<p>The ill-fated private bus that <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/over-20-passengers-meet-watery-704714.html" target="_blank">plunged into a canal near Kanaganamaradi village</a> in Mandya district killing at least 30 passengers on board was declared as not road worthy and safe for passengers by dakshina kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) two years ago.</p>.<p>“The RTA meeting convened by deputy commissioner in 2016, had cancelled the certificate of fitness and stage carriage permit on the grounds that that bus,`Rajkumar’ (KA 19 A 5676), was more than 15 years old,” Senior Motor Vehicle Inspector and in-charge Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) John Misquith informed DH when contacted. </p>.<p>At the time of suspending its permit, the bus owned by one Shambhavi wife of Raghava Karkera was operating as a stage carriage permit between State Bank and Sultan Batthery (route number 16). “I was shocked when I saw news reports on television that the private bus being lifted from the canal with help of cranes was in fact our bus which was sold in 2010,’’ informs Shivraj Shetty of Raj Kumar travels.</p>.<p>Shivraj Shetty told DH when contacted that he was probably the second or third buyer of the bus which was first purchased by The Shankar Vittal Motor company limited in Attavar. We operated the bus between Mangaluru-Kateel and Balkunja before selling it to a buyer in 2010. “The bus had exchanged seven to eight owners before it was sold to the present buyer,’’ sources in ARTO told DH.</p>
<p>The ill-fated private bus that <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/over-20-passengers-meet-watery-704714.html" target="_blank">plunged into a canal near Kanaganamaradi village</a> in Mandya district killing at least 30 passengers on board was declared as not road worthy and safe for passengers by dakshina kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) two years ago.</p>.<p>“The RTA meeting convened by deputy commissioner in 2016, had cancelled the certificate of fitness and stage carriage permit on the grounds that that bus,`Rajkumar’ (KA 19 A 5676), was more than 15 years old,” Senior Motor Vehicle Inspector and in-charge Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) John Misquith informed DH when contacted. </p>.<p>At the time of suspending its permit, the bus owned by one Shambhavi wife of Raghava Karkera was operating as a stage carriage permit between State Bank and Sultan Batthery (route number 16). “I was shocked when I saw news reports on television that the private bus being lifted from the canal with help of cranes was in fact our bus which was sold in 2010,’’ informs Shivraj Shetty of Raj Kumar travels.</p>.<p>Shivraj Shetty told DH when contacted that he was probably the second or third buyer of the bus which was first purchased by The Shankar Vittal Motor company limited in Attavar. We operated the bus between Mangaluru-Kateel and Balkunja before selling it to a buyer in 2010. “The bus had exchanged seven to eight owners before it was sold to the present buyer,’’ sources in ARTO told DH.</p>