Brakes fail, trucker helps bus driver navigate slope

TNN
December 30, 2018

Karwar, Dec 30: When he began his day at work on Saturday, little did NWKSRTC driver K T Khanapur know that he will have to steer a bus with failed brakes and 40 odd passengers down the hairpin bends of Arbail Ghat, near Yellapur, about 80km from Karwar.

With highland on one side and a gorge on the other, passengers survived the tense moments with an unlikeliest help - Iranna, driver of the fertilizer lorry that was going in front of the bus.

The state-run NWKSRTC bus, attached to the Gadag depot, was going from Hubballi to Karwar. The vehicle, which left Yellapur bus stand by afternoon, was at normal speed. But going down the slope, Khanapur realized that the brakes have failed and the bus was gaining speed. Now, he had two challenges toface - to avoid ramming vehicles coming in the opposite direction and to control the bus from falling into the gorge.

Realising that the driver lost the control over the bus, passengers began to panic.

"We realised that the bus will fall into the gorge, which is at least 100-ft deep. All we could do was to pray," said Praveen, one of the passengers.

Khanapur, however, did not lose hope or heart. The only possible help was the fertilizer-laden truck that was going ahead of his vehicle. After swift-thinking, Khanapur steered the bus and rammed the truck, a nudge for help. After repeated knocks, truck driver Iranna got the message. Iranna took upon himself the task of navigating the brakeless bus down the four kilometre slope safely. He reduced the pace of the lorry, which, in turn, acted as a stopper, especially at sharp curves, helping Khanapur negotiate the hairpins.

The dare-devil rescue has, however, dented the front of the bus and the rear of the lorry.

Comments

Abdulla
 - 
Sunday, 30 Dec 2018

Daring Drivers and Truck Driver Iranna saved lives of Bus Passengers with his courage Hats off to Iranna 

shaji
 - 
Sunday, 30 Dec 2018

Big salute to both these drivers.  They should be awarded for saving lives of many people.  Let Govt recognise their bravery and award them handsomely.   God bless you guys. 

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News Network
January 29,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 29: The police have registered a suo motu case against some of the youths who raised life threat slogans against former Karnataka Minister and Congress MLA UT Khader during the pro-Citizenship Amendment Act rally here on January 27.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed the youths belonging to BJP and other saffron outfits raising slogans that they will “cut off his limbs and chop off his head if necessary” during the rally organised by the BJP in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act on Monday.

Though Mr Khader did not file a complaint, the Congress party had urged the police to register a suo motu case.

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News Network
April 9,2020

Apr 9: A panel of experts in the Karnataka state has suggested that the ongoing lockdown should be continued in districts identified as Covid-19 hotspots, including Bengaluru, to limit the spread of the pandemic.

IT companies and government offices providing essential services should be allowed to function with 50% staff, according to the committee headed by Narayana Health chairman Dr Devi Shetty, which submitted its report to chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday.

It has also asked the government to ease restrictions gradually and take adequate care over the next six months to contain the outbreak. The committee urged the government not to permit AC buses and metro services till April 30 and allow private vehicles only on alternate days (even-odd number-wise) for two weeks after April 15.

The government must close schools and colleges till May 31 and allow only inter-state movement of goods transport. The government could allow non-AC shops to open. It has suggested that the ban on inter-state train and flight services should continue.

Education minister S Suresh Kumar, who is the state Covid-19 spokesperson, said the Cabinet, which is meeting on Thursday, may discuss the recommendations and take a view on de-escalation of the lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers through videoconference on April 11, after which the government will get an idea about the Centre’s thinking, he said.

While some states including Kerala, Maharashtra and Telangana have favoured continuation of the lockdown, Yediyurappa has not taken any stand publicly and has instead been implementing the Centre’s decision.

Six new cases

Karnataka on Wednesday reported six new Covid-19 positive cases, including that of a 65-year-old person in Kalaburagi, who died due to severe acute respiratory infection.

The health authorities have issued a notice to the private hospital -- where the deceased was initially admitted before being taken to a government hospital -- for not reporting the case to the government. The government has locked down the hospital, kept its entire medical team under quarantine, and police have registered a case of criminal negligence against the hospital authorities.

Of the other five positive cases, two had a travel history to Delhi, one had contact with a Dubai returnee and two others had close contacts with infected people.

This takes the total number of positive cases in the state to 181. Five people have died, while 28 have been discharged so far.

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coastaldigest.com news network
April 21,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 21: An elderly woman from Bantwal taluk in Dakshina Kannada district has been diagnosed with covid-19, a deadly disease caused by coronavirus.

The state health and family welfare department, in its bulletin released on Tuesday morning, confirmed  that 67-year old woman suffering from covid-19.

The woman is said to be a neighbour of the woman from who died last Friday after being infected with coronavirus.

It is suspected that the virus reached elderly woman's body as she was in touch with the deceased.

The woman was admitted to Covid - 19 Hospital, Mangaluru, on the April 18 after she developed breathing problem. It is learnt that she is responding to the treatment

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