Honnavar: Three young men were killed in a KSRTC bus-motorbike collision near the Sharavathi Bridge in Honnavar taluk on Tuesday morning, December 31.
The deceased have been identified as Raghavendra Gowda from Mavinakurva, Ramesh Ramachandra Naik from Kharwa Nathageri, and Gaurish Manjunath Naik from Samshi.
The horrific accident occurred on the morning of the last day of 2024. The three victims were the sole breadwinners for their households.
The three were travelling from Kasarkod towards Honnavar when a KSRTC bus heading from Honnavar to Mangaluru hit them. Two of them died on the spot, while the third, Gaurish Naik, succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
The accident has been attributed to overspeeding and negligence by the bus driver, identified as Vasanth Bheemappa Chavan, against whom a case has been registered at Honnavar police station.
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After a post-mortem, the bodies were handed over to the families.
Public outrage
Residents have expressed anger, citing negligence in road infrastructure. Despite the installation of streetlights on the bridge months ago, they have not been activated yet. Locals believe that a second bridge would have averted the tragedy. They also blamed the unscientific work by the IRB Company and the lack of oversight by district officials and elected representatives for recurring accidents over the past five to six years.
Police Appeal for Road Safety
PSI Rajshekar urged the public to adhere to traffic rules to avoid such tragedies. “Always wear helmets while riding bikes, as they can prevent head injuries and save lives. Do not wear helmets only out of fear of fines. Similarly, car drivers should use seat belts and drive cautiously,” he advised.
