Kundapur: A Kundapur court has sentenced a private bus driver to one year and 17 days of simple imprisonment in connection with a tragic 2016 road accident near Movadi Cross on National Highway 66 that claimed the lives of eight schoolchildren.
The Third Additional ACJ and JMFC Court, Kundapur, pronounced the verdict against accused bus driver Manjunath Thrasi, holding him liable under Sections 279, 337, 338 and 304(a) as stated in the case proceedings. The court also imposed a fine of ₹12,500.
Judge Manikantha M S, who heard the case, pronounced the sentence on Wednesday.
Eight children killed in 2016 accident
The accident took place on June 21, 2016, at around 9.25 am, near Movadi Cross on the Kundapur-Baindur National Highway 66.
According to the case details, a Maruti Omni carrying students of Don Bosco School was being driven by Martin Sebastian from the Hemmady side.
When the vehicle was turning towards the school road near Movadi Cross, the private bus driven by Manjunath, then aged 42, was travelling from Thrasi towards Kundapur.
The bus collided with the Omni, resulting in the deaths of eight schoolchildren. The victims were identified as Ananya D’Silva, Nikhitha D’Silva, Royston Lobo, Clarissa, Ancita Oleveira, Alvita Oleveira, Delvin Dias and Calista, who sustained critical injuries.
Several other children were also seriously injured in the accident.
The incident had caused widespread shock in the region, particularly among the families and the school community.
Police conducted detailed investigation
Following the accident, a case was registered at Gangolli police station.
Then Baindur Circle Inspector Sudarshan and subsequently CPI Raghav S Padil conducted the investigation. After completing the investigation, the police submitted the chargesheet before the court.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Uma Damodar Naik represented the government during the proceedings.
The prosecution presented the case before the court, which subsequently pronounced the sentence against the accused driver.
Driver had left profession after accident
Manjunath, who was working as a private bus driver at the time of the accident, was granted bail and released a few days after the incident.
Following the accident, he reportedly quit his profession as a driver and returned to his native Hubballi, where he took up agricultural work.
The court has now sentenced him to one year and 17 days of simple imprisonment along with the fine.
30 days granted for appeal
Following the pronouncement of the verdict, 30 days’ time has been granted to file an appeal before the District Sessions Court.
If an appeal is not filed within the stipulated period, an arrest warrant is reportedly expected to be issued against the accused.
The verdict comes more than a decade after the accident, bringing a legal conclusion at the trial-court level to a case that had remained significant for the families of the children who lost their lives.