A distressing scene unfolded at the Devdurg bus terminus in Raichur district on Saturday night, where dozens of students were left stranded without any means to return to their homes. The incident highlighted a critical failure in rural public transport, directly impacting the education and safety of young learners.
Students Left in the Lurch Without Transport
The crisis began when students arriving from various villages across Devdurg taluk found no buses available for their return journey in the evening. As night fell, the bus stand became an unintended shelter for these tired and hungry children. With no alternative arrangements made by the transport authorities, some students were forced to spend hours at the terminus without any food, their hopes of getting home dwindling with the fading light.
MLA's Swift Action and Fury at Officials
Exasperated by the neglect, the students reached out to their local representative, Devdurg MLA Karemma Nayak. Responding with urgency to their plea, the MLA immediately arrived at the bus stand. She was infuriated to see children waiting in the dark, a situation she found completely unacceptable. MLA Nayak summoned the depot manager and other concerned officials on the spot and delivered a stern reprimand.
She raised pointed questions about how students from rural areas are expected to focus on their studies if basic amenities like reliable bus services are not provided. "This kind of problem must not happen again; the education of students in rural areas should not be hindered by a lack of bus services," she warned the officials, demanding accountability for the students' safety and well-being.
Immediate Resolution and a Warning for the Future
Alarmed by the MLA's direct intervention and the gravity of the situation, the depot manager sprang into action. Buses were quickly arranged to finally transport the stranded students back to their respective villages. While the immediate crisis was resolved, the incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the persistent issues plaguing rural bus services in the region. It underscores the vulnerability of students who depend entirely on state-run transport for their daily commute and the need for systemic accountability to prevent such lapses.
