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.
Welcoming the move Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigst.com that Indians stranded in any foreign country can utilize this facility. "Initially, I was approached by Mr Zakaria and Mr Sheik who wanted chartered flights to help their employees fly back to India. I asked them to write to the Indian Ambassador in Saudi Araia Mr Ausaf Sayeed. Then I requested the ambassador to forward the request to Joint Secretary Dr Nagendra Prasad, who is in charge of gulf division in the Ministry of External Affairs, and then to Secretary on charge of Gulf and then I requested Secretary of Economic Relations Mr T S Tirumurti who was also in charge of Gulf to follow this up," she said.
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Daring Drivers and Truck Driver Iranna saved lives of Bus Passengers with his courage Hats off to Iranna
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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