Mandya bus tragedy: Court grants bail to bus driver 

Bengaluru: The local JMFC court on Monday granted bail for the driver of the ill-fated private ‘Rajakumar’ bus, that fell into the roadside Visvesvaraya Canal near Kanaganamaradi in Pandavapura taluk, leading to the death of 30 passengers. 

The driver, identified as Shivanna, 45, of Holalu had been rescued by villagers who had gathered at the scene of the accident. However, Shivanna went absconding soon after and was constantly changing locations to evade arrest. The police finally succeeded in arresting him from his relative’s house in Nagamangala on Sunday.

According to Shivanna, he steered the vehicle to left in order to avoid hitting an electric pole after the steering wheel got jammed. He also claimed that in his 25-year driving experience he has never been involved in any fatal accidents before.