Karnataka accident: Sleeper bus-truck collision kills 17 in Chitradurga
According to police, the bus collided head-on with a container lorry that jumped the road divider
At least 17 people were killed when a sleeper bus from Bengaluru to Gokarna caught fire near Chitradurga district in Karnataka in the early hours of Thursday (December 25).
What happened?
● A Seabird sleeper coach bus travelling from Bengaluru to Gokarna was involved in a collision with a truck near Hiriyur
● Hiriyur falls on Bengaluru-Pune Highway (NH-48).
● Chitradurga is around 200 km away from Bengaluru. Hiriyur is around 160 km from Bengaluru.
● According to the bus operator, the truck lost control and hit the bus, its diesel tank ruptured, and the bus soon rapidly engulfed in flames.
● There were 32 passengers on board at the time of the accident.
● The injured have been admitted to the Hiriyur and Shira government hospitals.
● Three women (Milan, Kavita and Sandhya) have also been admitted to the Hiriyur hospital. They survived after bravely jumped out of the bus soon after the fire broke out.
● The bus driver, Rafiq, and conductor, Sadiq, survived.
Also read: Sleeper buses are death traps; they should be banned, not improved'
According to police, the bus collided head-on with a container truck that jumped the road divider. The accident occurred on National Highway 48 (NH 48) at around 2 am.
“The container truck jumped over the divider and hit the bus. The lorry driver is dead. There were 32 people on the bus. We have 21 people injured in hospital, and we are looking for more people," police said.
Aditya, who was on the bus and is one of the survivors, was quoted as saying in the media, “I fell down after the accident, broke the glass and managed to get out. Many people were screaming, but by then the fire had engulfed the bus.”
Live Updates
- 25 Dec 2025 9:46 AM IST
PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for kin of those killed in Chitradurga accident
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a mishap in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Prime Minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased, while those injured will receive Rs 50,000.
- 25 Dec 2025 9:26 AM IST
Should sleeper buses be banned?
Read the full story on what expert says on banning sleeper buses. Click here
- 25 Dec 2025 9:16 AM IST
What preliminary probe says
"Our preliminary investigation hints that a diesel tanker might be involved in the accident," East Zone Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters.
"Our initial investigation shows that eight passengers and the truck driver have died. Of the 12 injured, nine have been shifted to Sira and three to Tumakuru. One of the critically burnt patients has been taken to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru," he added.
