Horror on NH-48: 10 Passengers Burnt Alive as Sleeper Bus Erupts in Flames After Truck Collision in Chitradurga
Truck crosses divider, rams into Bengaluru-Shivamogga bus near Hiriyur; 32 passengers on board, 21 injured rushed to hospitals; school bus narrowly escapes tragedy
CHITRADURGA, Karnataka | December 25, 2025
A Christmas Day turned into a nightmare on National Highway-48 as at least 10 people lost their lives and more than 20 others sustained critical burn injuries after a private sleeper bus caught fire following a collision with a container truck in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district early Thursday morning.
The devastating accident occurred around 2 am near Hiriyur on National Highway-48, when the bus was travelling overnight from Bengaluru to Shivamogga. Most passengers were asleep when disaster struck.
The Collision
Preliminary reports indicate that the truck crossed the central divider from the opposite lane and rammed into the bus, triggering a massive fire that quickly engulfed the vehicle while most passengers were asleep. The impact was so severe that the private Sea Bird sleeper coach caught fire almost immediately, leaving passengers trapped inside as flames spread rapidly through the vehicle.
According to IGP (North East) B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda, nine passengers are missing and are feared dead. The truck driver, identified as Kuldeep, also died in the incident.
Rescue Operations and Casualties
Emergency services rushed to the accident site near Gorlathu village in Hiriyur taluk. Chitradurga district authorities stated that 12 passengers who suffered minor injuries were shifted to Hiriyur taluk hospital, while nine passengers with serious injuries were shifted to a hospital in Tumakuru city.
In total, 21 people were injured in the accident. According to preliminary information, 32 passengers were travelling in the bus. Several passengers managed to break free and escape the burning vehicle, but many suffered serious burn injuries.
The fire has since been extinguished, and Superintendents of Police from both Tumakuru and Chitradurga districts arrived at the scene. Recovery teams are working to retrieve bodies from the charred remains of the bus for identification and post-mortem examination.
Narrow Escape for School Children
In what could have been an even greater catastrophe, a bus carrying school children on an academic tour, which was travelling behind the affected bus, narrowly escaped the accident. Officials confirmed that 45 schoolchildren on board the T Dasarahalli to Dandeli bus were unharmed.
Investigation Underway
Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru, along with IGP B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda and other senior police officials, have reached the accident site to oversee investigations. Early police reports suggest the truck driver may have lost control, causing the vehicle to jump the divider and collide head-on with the bus.
Authorities have confirmed that the death toll could rise as several passengers remain in critical condition with severe burn injuries. A formal case has been filed at the Hiriyur Rural Police Station, and officials are continuing to investigate the exact cause of the collision.
The accident caused major traffic delays on the busy National Highway-48 for several hours as emergency teams worked to clear the wreckage.
Key Details:
- Location: Gorlathu Cross, Hiriyur taluk, NH-48, Chitradurga district
- Time: Approximately 2:00 AM, December 25, 2025
- Victims: 10 confirmed dead (9 passengers + 1 truck driver)
- Injured: 21 passengers (9 critical, 12 minor injuries)
- Total passengers: 32 on the Sea Bird sleeper bus
- Route: Bengaluru to Shivamogga (over 300 km)
- Cause: Truck jumped divider, head-on collision
This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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