CUNCOLIM: In a major incident that shocked the inter-state bus industry and travellers, three Paulo Travel buses heading to Karnataka were stoned by persons on a motorbike late Monday night. While two buses escaped, the last bus rammed into the railway overbridge at Balli, Quepem a little after 11 pm.
Cuncolim police have launched a search operation for the two persons who stoned the buses and were combing Balli and neighbouring areas. Neigbouring police stations and border police had been alerted about the incident.
All three buses were attacked on National Highway 17, on the Margao-Karwar route. While the first bus was stoned at Demani, the second was stoned Nayabandh area. Both these fall under the jurisdiction of Cuncolim municipality and the incidents took place between 10.30 and 11 pm. No complaint was filed with the police and the two buses managed to move ahead. According to the police, it appears there was no major damage to the buses as they proceeded towards Karnataka. Sources said that the first two buses were heading to Bangalore but that could not be confirmed.
The first two interstate buses were hit in quick succession. Police sources said that the driver of the third bus after being stoned, accelerated to catch up with the other buses but on reaching the railway overbridge near the Balli Primary Health Centre the driver lost control and banged the bus on the railway overbridge pillar. The bus was heading to Hampi and had reportedly left from Panjim.
A passenger said that the driver had started speeding and was traveling really fast and at the area before bridge, the headlights were switched off. Police are investigating if this was done by the driver to escape the miscreants who were stoning the buses or whether the stones had damaged the headlights.
The front portion of the bus was badly damaged and the driver of the bus fractured his leg and sustained other grievous injuries.
About 25 tourists, most of them foreign nationals, were injured in the accident. Out of approximately 30 passengers, about 10 sustained serious injuries including the driver and they were shifted to Hospicio Hospital Margao. They were first admitted to Balli health centre where around 15 were treated for injuries such as cuts and bruises while the major cases like fractures were sent to Hospicio.
Some of the passengers on the bus were from Russia, Tanzania, Yugoslavia and England, while others were from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Goa.
Police said they investigating further, but the incident appears to have been sparked off by some rivalry between the inter-state bus operators which could have its roots outside Goa in Karnataka.
