In a devastating tragedy, at least nine people were killed and several others injured when a fuel tanker jumped a highway divider and rammed into a private sleeper bus in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district early Thursday morning.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured in the accident.
Taking to social media platform X, the Chief Minister shared his grief, stating that his “heart shook” upon hearing the news of passengers being burned alive. He assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted to pinpoint the cause of the disaster and implement measures to prevent such reoccurrences. “I have directed officials to stand by for assistance to the affected,” the CM added, praying for the swift recovery of the survivors.
The horrific accident occurred around 2:00 AM near Gorlathu village on National Highway 48. According to IGP Dr. B.R. Ravikante Gowda, a Seabird sleeper bus was en route from Bengaluru to Gokarna when a fuel tanker truck lost control, crossed the central divider, and slammed directly into the bus’s fuel tank. The impact caused a massive explosion, quickly engulfing the vehicle in flames and trapping sleeping passengers inside.
Initial police reports confirm that eight passengers on the bus and the tanker driver died in the collision. Out of the 32 people on board the bus—including the driver and conductor—several managed to escape with injuries. One passenger, who sustained 20% burn injuries, has been rushed to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru for specialized treatment, while others are being treated at local facilities in Hiriyur and Shira.
In a miraculous turn of events, a school bus carrying 48 students from T. Dasarahalli to Dandeli was traveling parallel to the private bus during the crash. While the school bus collided with the burning wreckage, none of the children were injured. The school bus driver, who witnessed the entire sequence of events, is now a key eyewitness in the ongoing police investigation.