Madikeri: Fifty-seven persons including 48 children had a providential escape when a speeding bus overturned near Suntikoppa in Kodagu district in the wee hours of today. However, one student was killed in the accident.

The impact of the accident was such that the bus had to be lifted with the help of a crane.

The bus was on its way to Madikeri from KRS Dam and it started from Mysuru at 11.30 pm. The condition of the bus driver and a school cook is said to be critical and they have been shifted to a hospital in Mangaluru. The injured four students have been admitted to a hospital in Madikeri.

The bus (KA-22-B-5731) was carrying 58 persons from Ganikehal Government School in Kurugodu taluk of Ballari, who had come to Mysuru on an educational tour. The bus was carrying 48 students (27 boys and 21 girls), 6 teachers, a cook, two drivers and a cleaner.

After a site-seeing trip from Mysuru, the bus stared its journey to Madikeri at 11.30 pm. Students told the Police that they were fast asleep and received a jolt in the wee hours as the bus driver lost control near Shanthageri Estate at Suntikoppa. The bus overturned and fell into a ditch.

Some passersby spotted screaming children and rushed to their rescue and informed the Police. 16-year-old N.U. Basavaraj, son of Dyavanna of Ganikehal village, died while being shifted to Madikeri. The bus driver Johnson alias Chintu and cook Siddalinga have been shifted to Mangaluru in a critical condition.

Four other students M. Manjunath, K. Raja, Mohammad Fayaz and H. Veeresh have been admitted to Madikeri Hospital. A 7-month-old baby escaped unhurt in the accident. School teacher Umesh and his wife Sumalatha had carried their baby girl Dhanashree and the little one was sleeping on her mother’s lap. Fortunately, the baby did not sustain any injuries though the bus overturned.

Immediately after getting information, Suntikoppa Sub-Inspector Jayaram and night beat Police arrived at the spot and shifted the injured to hospitals. They also made arrangements for crane to lift the bus and accommodated students at Sri Rama Mandir.

Some students told the Police that the bus driver Johnson had consumed alcohol at KRS during dinner and before starting to Madikeri.

Kodagu Superintendent of Police Suman D. Pennekar, Dy.SP Muralidhar, Circle Inspector Kyathegowda visited the spot.