Mangaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has issued an official clarification denying reports that brake failure caused the fatal accident in Talapadi on August 28, which left six people dead.
According to KSRTC, the incident involved bus number KA 19 F 3407 from its Mangalore-1st unit. The vehicle was returning from Kasaragod towards Mangalore when the driver allegedly lost control on a sloping road near the Talapadi toll gate. In an attempt to avoid an auto, the driver applied brakes abruptly, causing the bus to skid and overturn.
Fatalities and Immediate Response
Two passengers of the auto died on the spot, while four others — including the auto driver — succumbed to injuries at Yenepoya Hospital despite treatment.
The corporation has provided an emergency compensation of ₹1 lakh each to the families of the deceased and assured that all medical expenses of the injured will be covered.
Technical Check Clears Bus of Fault
KSRTC’s technical team inspected the vehicle at the accident site and confirmed there was no brake failure. “The FC (fitness certificate) was renewed on August 26, and the bus had successfully completed nine circuits covering 540 km before the accident. The bus was later driven by another driver to the police station, proving its mechanical soundness,” said the Senior Divisional Controller, Mangalore KSRTC.
Blaming Reckless Driving
The corporation attributed the accident to speeding and reckless handling by the driver, not a technical defect, and urged media outlets to avoid spreading misinformation regarding the bus’s maintenance.