A tragic road accident in Chitradurga district of Karnataka early Thursday morning has shocked the entire nation. A private sleeper bus and a truck collided head-on on National Highway-48 (NH-48), after which the bus caught fire. At least 10 people were burned to death in the accident, while several passengers are feared missing.
How the Chitradurga bus accident happened
The accident occurred around 2:30 AM on Thursday when a private sleeper bus of Seabird Coaches, traveling from Bengaluru to Shivamogga, was en route to its destination. According to eyewitnesses, a heavy container truck coming from the opposite direction suddenly crossed the divider and collided with the bus.
The collision was so powerful that the bus’s fuel tank was damaged, and within moments, the bus was engulfed in flames. The fire spread so rapidly that many passengers did not even get a chance to escape.
Screams and chaos at the scene
People passing by the road at the time of the accident witnessed a horrific scene. Eyewitness Sachin said that the bus had overtaken his vehicle when the truck coming from the opposite direction crossed the divider and collided with the bus. The collision occurred in the part of the bus where the diesel tank was located.
A passenger, Aditya, said that after the collision, fire spread everywhere in the bus. The door was jammed, after which passengers tried to break the windows to get out. Many people were trying to save others, but the intensity of the fire made rescue difficult.
Status of the dead and injured
According to the police, a total of 32 people, including the driver and conductor, were on board the bus. So far, the deaths of 9 passengers and the truck driver have been confirmed. Several passengers are also feared missing, and a search operation is underway.
The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals, where some are reported to be in critical condition. Police and fire department teams arrived at the scene and carried out relief and rescue operations.
Traffic affected and long jam on NH-48
The accident caused a traffic jam stretching for several kilometers on NH-48. A female passenger shared a video stating that she was going to Gokarna and was stuck on the road for hours due to the bus accident.
Police later diverted traffic to alternative routes and brought the situation under control.
Prime Minister Modi expresses condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the Chitradurga bus accident. He announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. The Prime Minister also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Questions raised again on road safety
This accident comes at a time when the number of road accidents in the country remains a constant cause for concern. Earlier in November, a bus-truck collision in Telangana also claimed the lives of 20 people.
Experts say that strict monitoring of speeding by heavy vehicles, incidents of vehicles jumping dividers, and nighttime driving safety standards is necessary.