Karnataka, December 25: At least nine people were killed after a luxury sleeper bus caught fire following a collision with a speeding truck in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district early on Thursday, police said. Most of the victims were burnt alive in the blaze.
The bus, carrying 32 passengers and heading to Gokarna, was engulfed in flames after the truck jumped a road divider and rammed into it, East Zone Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters. The truck driver was among those killed.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a diesel tanker may have been involved in the accident, Gowda said. While several passengers managed to escape by jumping out of the bus, eight passengers and the truck driver died in the incident.
Twelve people were injured, of whom nine were shifted to Sira and three to Tumakuru for treatment. One critically burnt passenger was referred to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The remaining injured are reported to be out of danger.
A second bus carrying 42 schoolchildren from T Dasarahalli to Dandeli, which was travelling behind the ill-fated bus, narrowly escaped disaster. Its driver hit the bus ahead, swerved to the other side, and veered off the road, preventing further casualties. No injuries were reported, and the children continued their journey in another vehicle.
Police said the school bus driver is a key eyewitness, and his statement will be recorded. Most passengers on the burnt bus had booked tickets online, enabling authorities to obtain their contact details and inform families. Due to the extent of burns, DNA tests will be conducted to identify the deceased.
