Bangalore:
The tragic mini-bus accident that resulted in 31 deaths on the Mysore-Nanjangud stretch of NH-212 has unleashed the fury of many. About 2,000 people on Wednesday staged a protest and blocked the road leading to Mysore airport.
When the protest extended for almost four hours, the police resorted to lathi-charge and bursting of tear-gas shells. On Tuesday, the mini-bus ferrying a wedding party of 36 people had plunged into the Undabatti tank due to the wretched condition of Mysore-Nanjangud Road. Of the 31 deceased, 25 women, three men and two children were confirmed dead. Five were rescued.
Thousands of infuriated villagers from 12 villages took out a rally on the accident spot, protesting against the poor road condition. "We came in at 9 am and blocked the road, but the police chased us away. We gathered in larger numbers and resumed our protest at 10 am. The protest went on till noon,'' said Nannaiah of Kadakola village.
The police justified their action. The protest blocked traffic for four hours, causing inconvenience to the people heading to the airport. "They were protesting without permission. We tried moving them, but when they started pelting stones, we had to resort to mild lathi-charge and burst tear-gas shells. The situation is under control now," said Munesh G, superintendent of police, Mysore. Police sources said several villagers were arrested after the protest, but were released later.
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