Chitradurga: At least five people were killed when a speeding truck crashed against a luxury sleeper bus, which caught fire under the impact in Chitradurga district in Karnataka early on Thursday, December 25, a senior police official said.
The bus, with 32 passengers was on its way to Gokarna, when it was engulfted in flames under the impact of the collision and most of the deceased were burnt alive inside the vehicle, East Zone Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ravikanthe Gowda said.
The accident happened after the truck jumped a road-divider and collided with the oncoming bus, Gowda told reporters.
The bus driver and cleaner escaped. The driver of the truck was among those who died.
While the IGP had earlier said nine people were killed, citing preliminary investigation, later he and the district police chief confirmed that five persons lost their lives.
“Only five people have died,” Superintendent of Police, Ranjith Kumar Bandaru, told news agency PTI.
Four passengers of the bus and the driver of the truck were killed in the accident.
“As per the investigation so far, it (container lorry) directly hit the diesel tank (of the bus), leading to diesel tank leak and fire,” the IGP said.
PTI, quoting police sources, said three friends were among the survivors. Two other passengers saved their lives by jumping from the vehicle.
Injure passengers shifted to hospital
“Of the 12 injured, nine have been shifted to Sira and three to Tumakuru. One of the patients with critical burn injuries has been taken to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru,” Gowda added.
Except for the one who has been shifted to Bengaluru, the rest of the injured are out of danger, the IGP said.
“The bus carrying schoolchildren hit the bus (involved in the accident) from behind, turned to the other side and veered off the road. Fortunately, no one sustained even a minor injury,” Gowda said.
The children continued their journey in another bus, he said, adding that the school bus driver is an important eyewitness whose statement will be recorded.
At least two passengers were grievously injured, police said.
Driver recounts horror
Recounting the tragedy, the bus driver, Rafeeq, said from his hospital bed that all he remembers is a speeding truck suddenly crashing into his bus.
“I was driving the bus at a speed of around 60 to 70 kmph. All I remember is a container truck coming and hitting my vehicle. I tried to control the bus, but it was not possible. Even as I attempted to steer the vehicle aside, another bus was moving in the adjacent lane. I don’t know what happened after that. I don’t remember how I got out,” he recalled.
The bus assistant, Mohammad Sadiq, who also managed to escape after the container truck hit the bus, said, “We left Bengaluru around 9 pm. I was sleeping when the incident occurred. The truck hit the diesel tank. Due to the impact, I was thrown out of the bus. The driver was also thrown out.”
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses stated that the school bus driver got out of his vehicle and rescued several passengers who were trapped inside the bus. Police said that due to the intensity of the fire, several bodies were severely charred inside the bus.
Most passengers of the bus that was involved in the accident had booked their tickets online. “We have got their phone numbers. We are trying to contact their families,” the IGP said.
The officer said a DNA test would be performed to identify the bodies.
The accident was so severe that the bus and the truck were completely mangled. Fire spread all over the road as people struggled to douse the flame.
Fire fighters who rushed to the spot found it hard to contain the fire.
The charred remains of the bus were seen lying across the highway, with the roof caved in and metal frames twisted.
The vehicle was reduced to a metal skeleton, with burnt debris scattered across the road.
Burnt fragments, personal belongings and vehicle parts were seen scattered across the stretch of the road.
Condoling the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on ‘X’: “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest.”
He said an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.
Mourning the dead, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who died in the accident and Rs 50,000 each to those who were injured.
“Having obtained information about the incident from the officials, I have directed them to stand by for assistance to the affected. An investigation will be conducted in this regard, the cause of the accident will be identified, and necessary measures will be taken,” Siddaramaiah posted on ‘X’.
(With inputs from PTI)
