Kozhikode, August 14
A suspected egg-pelting attack on a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus near Bidadi has prompted officials to examine whether a similar act contributed to last week’s fatal KSRTC accident on the Mysuru–Bengaluru Expressway.
The latest incident occurred around 9 p.m. on Wednesday when unidentified persons allegedly threw eggs at the windscreen of ATC 142, a KSRTC deluxe bus travelling from Bengaluru to Kasaragod.
The eggs reportedly obscured the driver’s view while the bus was travelling along the busy expressway. The driver, however, managed to retain control of the vehicle and avert an accident. The bus is attached to the KSRTC’s Kasaragod unit.
Officials said the attack occurred within a radius of about two kilometres from the spot where a Kozhikode–Bengaluru super deluxe bus overturned on August 8. Driver Midhilesh and conductor N.M. Arun were killed in that accident.
A preliminary inquiry conducted by the KSRTC found that the bus involved in the fatal crash was mechanically sound. Midhilesh had a good service record and had received sufficient rest before beginning the journey.
With no evidence of mechanical failure or driver fatigue emerging so far, investigators are examining whether an external obstruction caused Midhilesh to lose control of the vehicle. However, officials stressed that the egg-pelting theory had not yet been established.
Kerala Transport Minister C.P. John has directed KSRTC authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into both incidents. The team probing the August 8 crash will examine the exact locations, available surveillance footage, statements from bus employees and reports of similar attacks on the expressway.
A senior official at the KSRTC’s Kozhikode depot said the corporation had received a voice message from a staff member of the bus attacked on Wednesday. The message reportedly referred to earlier egg-pelting incidents involving trucks, cars and buses in the area.
KSRTC said precautions would be strengthened to protect passengers and employees. Strict legal action would be pursued if the incidents were found to be deliberate attempts to endanger motorists.
