Bengaluru/Hyderabad 25 December Posted on 12:10 PM IST
A devastating road accident occurred late night on December 25 near Gorlattu Cross in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district, Karnataka. A private sleeper coach bus caught fire after being hit by a container lorry on National Highway 48, resulting in the deaths of over 6 passengers and 11 injured.
According to preliminary information, the lorry reportedly jumped the road divider and rammed into the oncoming bus. The impact was so severe that the bus immediately caught fire while stationed in the middle of the highway. Several passengers were trapped inside and were reportedly burnt alive.
The bus was travelling from Bengaluru to Shivamogga, while the container lorry was heading towards Bengaluru from Hiriyur. Emergency services rushed to the spot and rescued injured passengers, who were shifted to nearby hospitals. Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise as several victims remain in critical condition. However Police confirmed six death including a child.
Police officials stated that negligence on the part of the lorry driver is suspected to be the primary cause of the accident. The driver of the container lorry also died in the crash. The Hiriyur Rural Police Station has registered a case and launched an investigation.
The accident led to massive traffic congestion on NH-48, with vehicles stranded for nearly 30 kilometers. Senior police officials, including the district SP Ranjith Kumar Bandaru visited the site to oversee rescue and clearance operations.
Condolences poured in from national and state leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar and Transport Minister Ram Linga Reddy also conveyed their condolences.
Authorities have assured a thorough investigation into the incident and emphasized the need for strict enforcement of road safety measures to prevent such tragedies.
This latest tragedy serves as a grim echo of the Kurnool bus disaster in October 2025, where a collision between a Hyderabad-Bengaluru Volvo and a motorcycle ignited a similar inferno that claimed over 20 lives.
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Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
