Chitradurga (Karnataka): At least 17 people are feared to have lost their lives in a devastating road accident on National Highway 48 in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district after a private sleeper coach bus was engulfed in flames following a collision with a lorry, police officials said on Thursday.
The incident took place near Gorlathu Cross in Hiriyur taluk when a lorry travelling from Hiriyur towards Bengaluru reportedly crossed the central divider and crashed into a sleeper bus approaching from the opposite direction. The bus was en route from Bengaluru to Shivamogga at the time of the accident.
Police said the impact of the collision was so severe that the bus caught fire in the middle of the highway within moments, trapping several passengers inside. Many occupants were reportedly asleep when the crash occurred, leaving them little time to escape as flames rapidly spread through the vehicle.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after locals alerted authorities. Fire and rescue personnel worked to extinguish the blaze, but by the time the fire was brought under control, the bus had been completely gutted. Several bodies were found charred inside the vehicle, raising concerns that the death toll could increase.
Officials said the official number of casualties will be confirmed after a detailed audit and identification process. Several passengers who managed to escape the burning bus sustained serious injuries and were shifted to nearby hospitals, where some are undergoing critical care.
Preliminary investigations indicate possible negligence by the lorry driver, police said, adding that the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation. The intensity of the fire and the damage to the bus made rescue and recovery operations particularly challenging.
Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Ranjith visited the accident site and is personally monitoring the probe. A case has been registered at the Hiriyur Rural Police Station, and further inquiries are underway to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
Traffic movement on the busy Bengaluru–Pune stretch of National Highway 48 remained disrupted for several hours as emergency teams cleared debris and completed rescue operations.