The Karnataka BJP on Tuesday demanded that the state government ensure safety measures for students following the death of a school girl after falling from the footboard of an overcrowded bus. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that due to cancellation of bus services, people have been inconvenienced and school students are being forced to travel on footboards of overcrowded buses in the state.

"There was a tragic incident reported from Haveri district. The Congress government must prevent these incidents from occurring. The system should not collapse," he underlined.

On Monday, the girl was on the way to school in Kusanuru village. She had boarded an overcrowded bus and was on the footboard, when she lost balance and fell. She had sustained severe injuries on her head. Locals have stated that there is a lack of bus facilities in the region. Due to this, people are forced to travel in overcrowded buses, neglecting their safety. Police have taken up the case for investigation.

Meanwhile, Bommai also demanded that school students in the state must be provided with bus facilities to ensure their safety.  "We had given an order in this regard and set aside an amount in the budget. If the transport sector is not given money, the buses will stop plying.

"The buses should run on all routes as per schedule. It is the duty of the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation to ensure this. Let the Congress government implement the schemes to help people and women. But, the complaints are coming that in that pretext the buses are cancelled, operation of buses in many routes are cancelled," he said.

The former Chief Minister further said that "there is a good programme, the planning and preparation should be proper. Within a week all these issues must be resolved otherwise the objective of making free travel for women won't succeed".