9 killed, 21 injured as sleeper bus catches fire after collision in Karnataka’s Chitradurga

At least nine people were killed on Thursday after a lorry crossed the central divider on National Highway 48 at Gorlathu Cross in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district and rammed into a private sleeper coach bus, police said.

The bus was travelling from Bengaluru to Shivamogga when it was hit by the lorry, which was heading towards Bengaluru from Hiriyur. The impact caused the bus to catch fire on the highway, trapping passengers inside and leaving them little time to escape.

Police said eight passengers on the bus were killed, along with the lorry driver. Several others sustained burn injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals. Most of the injured are reported to be out of danger, though one person from Shira, who suffered 15–20% burns, has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru for further treatment.

Eastern Range Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda said preliminary investigations showed that the lorry crashed directly into the bus’s diesel tank, causing fuel to leak and ignite.

“Our investigation so far indicates that the truck rammed into the diesel tank, leading to a fire and the deaths,” Gowda said. “We have confirmed that eight people inside the bus were killed, along with the truck driver. Twelve injured passengers are being treated in Hiriyur, nine in Shira and three in Tumakuru. One person with 15–20% burns has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The others are out of danger. There were 32 people on the bus.”

Preliminary findings point to negligence on the part of the lorry driver, police said. Authorities are collecting DNA samples from the victims and reviewing booking details to help identify the deceased.

Police also noted that a school bus carrying children was passing through the area when the sleeper bus caught fire, but no injuries were reported among the schoolchildren.