Ankola: A horrific accident occurred in the early hours of Monday on National Highway 66 near Agasuru village in Ankola taluk, where a private sweeper bus lost control and plunged into a ravine, claiming one life and injuring 18 others.
The bus, which was en route from Belgaum to Mangaluru, veered off course around 3 a.m. and hit a small bridge before tumbling into a nearby gorge in front of Jagadish Daba. Most passengers were asleep when the crash occurred, waking up to chaos and the impact of the fall.
Local residents and the Ankola police responded swiftly, launching a rescue operation in the darkness. One passenger, trapped inside the wreckage, was found dead during the recovery of the vehicle. Five of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.
While several passengers were taken to the Ankola Government Hospital for treatment, those with serious injuries were referred to Udupi for advanced medical care. Authorities have registered a case at the Ankola Police Station and are investigating the cause of the accident, which is suspected to be due to driver negligence or fatigue.