A tragic accident on National Highway-48 in Karnataka's Chitradurga district has resulted in the death of at least 10 people, with several others sustaining burn injuries. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when a private sleeper bus, en route from Bengaluru to Shivamogga, collided with a truck.

The collision, which took place around 3 a.m., caused the bus to immediately burst into flames, trapping many passengers inside. According to police reports, the truck was traveling from Hiriyur towards Bengaluru when it crossed the central divider and collided with the bus coming from the opposite direction. The force of the impact and the subsequent fire completely gutted the sleeper coach, complicating rescue efforts.

Emergency services rushed to the scene to try and rescue those trapped within the burning vehicle. While some passengers managed to escape the inferno, many were not so fortunate. Initial reports suggest that at least nine people escaped without injury. However, the death toll may rise as officials continue to assess the full impact of the disaster. Some reports indicate the number of feared dead could be as high as 17. Nine people have been reported injured and admitted to nearby hospitals.

The bus, belonging to Seabird Coach, was completely engulfed by the fire following the collision. The accident occurred on National Highway-48 (NH-48).

Chitradurga superintendent of police Ranjith visited the site and is overseeing the investigation. Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident was a result of negligence on the part of the lorry driver. A case has been registered at the Hiriyur Rural Police Station, and further inquiries are underway to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the accident.

The accident caused significant disruption to traffic on National Highway 48 as emergency teams worked to clear the debris and conduct rescue and recovery operations.