K’taka bus tragedy: Truck lost control, crashed into fuel tank of sleeper bus, says IGP

Chitradurga, Dec 25 (IANS) In a major tragedy on Christmas Day, at least nine persons were burned alive and 21 others injured after a sleeper coach bus caught fire following a collision with a truck in Chitradurga district of Karnataka in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 2 a.m. at Gorlattu Cross on National Highway 48 when a truck coming from the opposite direction jumped the divider and rammed into the bus after the driver lost control.

Preliminary investigations revealed that eight passengers travelling in the bus are feared dead.

The truck driver also died in the incident. He has been identified as Kuldeep. Several passengers managed to escape from the bus after it caught fire.

IGP (East) B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda said on Thursday that the incident took place around 2 a.m. A Sea Bird private sleeper coach bus was hit by a container truck coming from the opposite direction, which crossed the divider and rammed into the bus with full force.

“What we suspect is that the truck directly hit the fuel tank of the bus. Following fuel leakage, the bus caught fire and was completely engulfed,” he stated.

“Some passengers managed to escape from the bus. However, those who were in deep sleep — eight passengers — got trapped inside the vehicle. The container truck driver also died in the incident. According to preliminary investigations, a total of nine persons have died, including eight bus passengers and the truck driver,” IGP Gowda said.

Among the injured, 11 persons were taken to a hospital in Hiriyur town, nine were shifted to a hospital in Sira town, and three were shifted to a hospital in Tumakuru city. One of the injured suffered 15 to 20 per cent burn injuries and has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. Except for this patient, all other injured persons are out of danger, he said.

“In total, 32 persons, including the driver and assistant, were travelling in the bus. Information is emerging about the spotting of a burnt body of a baby,” he added.

The bodies will be retrieved from the bus. DNA experts from Bengaluru have arrived at the spot, and the local Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team is also working. Post-mortem examinations will be conducted, DNA samples will be collected, and after identification, the bodies will be handed over to the relatives at the earliest, he stated.

According to the police, the private Sea Bird sleeper coach bus was travelling from Bengaluru to the coastal town of Gokarna when it was hit by the truck.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained, and authorities are collecting details.

Police said the accident occurred due to the negligence of the truck driver. The driver and assistant of the bus managed to escape unhurt. The truck driver hailed from Uttar Pradesh.

As a result of the accident, traffic was disrupted for several hours on the Bengaluru–Sira stretch of the highway.

Authorities also stated that a bus carrying school children on an academic tour, which was travelling behind the affected bus, narrowly escaped the accident. Further investigation is underway, and more details are awaited.

–IANS

mka/dpb