At least nine people were killed, and several others injured when a container truck rammed into a bus heading from Bengaluru to Gokarna on NH 48 near Hiriyur in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district early on Thursday morning. The bus caught fire following the collision, and while several passengers escaped after jumping out, many others were burned to death.
The incident occurred at around 1.45 am when the truck heading towards Bengaluru jumped a divider and hit the bus, a local police officer said.
Prima facie, the police believe that the container truck driver, who also died in the accident, may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy stated that initial reports suggested overspeeding as the cause of the crash.
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The bus was carrying 32 passengers, along with a driver and a cleaner, Ravikanthe Gowda, Inspector General of Police, Eastern Range, told the media. According to a police officer, the private non-AC bus belonged to Seabird Tourists, and many of the passengers were reportedly heading to Gokarna to enjoy the long weekend.
Transport Commissioner Yogeshwar A M and Assistant Commissioner Omkareshwari have visited the accident site. The local police have shifted the injured to hospitals in Chitradurga.