"Truck Jumped Divider, Rammed Bus": Witnesses Recount Karnataka Bus Tragedy

One of the passengers inside the bus and other eyewitnesses have narrated the horror that unfolded.

25 Dec 2025, 03:03 · www.ndtv.com

Bengaluru:

At least five people were charred to death, and several others sustained injuries after a private sleeper bus collided with a truck early Thursday in Karnataka's Chitradurga district. The bus was travelling from Bengaluru to Shivamogga when it met with the accident on National Highway-48.

The collision triggered a massive fire that left the bus completely charred. The flames inside the bus spread rapidly, trapping several passengers and making rescue operations difficult.

One of the passengers inside the bus and other eyewitnesses have narrated the horror that unfolded.

"Saw Fire All Around, People Were Screaming"

Aditya, one of the passengers inside the bus, said, "The accident happened, and I fell down. I saw fire all around. The door couldn't be opened. We broke the glass and tried to escape. People were screaming. Some of them were trying to save others, but the fire was spreading quickly. Hence it became difficult."

Sachin, an eyewitness who was travelling on the road where the accident happened, said, "The sleeper bus overtook us. A container truck, which was coming from the opposite side of the road, jumped into the divider and collided with the bus. The truck collided close to the area (of the bus) where the diesel tank was located."

Another witness, who was on the Tumkur Road travelling towards Gokarna, said that the accident caused a massive traffic jam, with vehicles stranded for nearly eight kilometres. She advised commuters to avoid travelling on this route.

"Truck Might Have Hit Bus's Fuel Tank"

Citing a preliminary investigation into the accident, a senior police official said that the truck might have hit the fuel tank of the sleeper bus, causing the fuel to gush out.

The official said that the total victims killed in the crash included the truck driver. "Only a few passengers escaped the fire," he added.

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