A tragic collision between a container truck and a private luxury sleeper bus on National Highway 48 in Karnataka's Chitradurga district has resulted in at least six fatalities and numerous injuries. The accident occurred early Thursday morning near Hiriyur taluk, as the bus was en route to Gokarna from Bengaluru.
According to police reports, the container truck, traveling from Maharashtra to Nelamangala near Bengaluru, jumped over the road divider and collided head-on with the oncoming bus. The impact of the collision caused the bus to burst into flames, trapping several passengers inside. East Zone Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda confirmed that most of the deceased were burned alive in the vehicle. Among the deceased were Bindu V, her five-year-old daughter Grema, Manasa, Navya, Rashmi Mahale and the truck driver. There were 33 people in the bus. Of them five died and 28 suffered injuries.
The bus driver, Rafiq, who is currently receiving treatment for injuries, recounted the horrifying moments leading up to the crash. He stated that the truck was overspeeding and came from the other side of the road divider. Despite his attempts to control the bus, he was unable to avoid the collision. Mohammed Sadiq, the bus cleaner, who escaped with minor injuries, said that the truck directly rammed the diesel tank.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000. "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a post on X.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also expressed his sorrow and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Those injured would receive ₹50,000 each. He stated that he had sought details from officials and directed them to extend all possible assistance to the victims. "Hearing the tragic news of several passengers being burned alive in the horrific accident between a lorry and a bus near Chitradurga has left hearts trembling," Siddaramaiah posted on X. He has also ordered a thorough investigation into the accident to determine the cause.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar conveyed his condolences to the victims' families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Fire and emergency services rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames and rescue survivors. The intensity of the fire, however, hampered rescue operations. The highway, which connects Karnataka to Pune in Maharashtra, is known to be busy during the holidays.
Preliminary investigations suggest negligence on the part of the truck driver. A case has been registered at Hiriyur Rural police station.
