CHITRADURGA: The driver of the ill-fated private sleeper coach bus that collided with a truck on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway 48 near Gorlathu Cross in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district on Thursday succumbed at KIMS Hospital in Hubballi on Friday morning. With this, the total number of deaths in the accident has increased to seven, IGP (Eastern Range) Dr Ravikanthe Gowda said.
The driver, Mohammed Rafiq (38), had sustained injuries while jumping out of the bus. Hailing from Halagur village in Shiggavi taluk of Haveri district, Rafiq was first treated at Hiriyur government hospital, after which he was shifted to Chitradurga district hospital. Later, he was referred to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi, where he succumbed at 5 am on Friday.
Six people were charred to death after a truck collided with the private sleeper bus, resulting in a fire that engulfed both vehicles. The container truck jumped the divider and rammed the private bus, which was heading from Bengaluru to Gokarna via Shivamogga.
Five passengers of the bus and the truck driver, identified as Kuldeep Yadav from Haryana, died, while 28 passengers, who suffered injuries, were treated at government hospitals in Hiriyur, Sira, and Tumakuru and a private hospital in Sira. The condition of three patients was serious, and they were shifted to Bengaluru for further treatment.
The deceased are Bindu (29) and her daughter Greya (5) from Girinagar in Bengaluru; Manasa (27) and Navya (26) from Channarayapattna in Hassan district; Rashmi Mahale (24) from Shirali, Bhatkal, Uttara Kannada; truck driver Kuladeep Yadav (29) from Kithauli in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh; and bus driver Mohammed Rafiq (38) from Hulaguru village in Shiggavi taluk of Haveri district. Meanwhile, the bodies of the five passengers who were travelling in the ill-fated sleeper bus will be handed over to their relatives on Saturday.
Speaking to TNIE, IGP (Eastern Range) Dr Ravikanthe Gowda said, “Till we get the DNA reports, we cannot hand over the bodies. We are expecting the report on Saturday morning, after which the bodies will be handed over to their relatives. A team of doctors has collected the samples of both the victims and their kin and taken them to Hubballi FSL for identification.”
Investigation will be conducted, says CM
Reacting to the accident, CM Siddaramaiah, said, “The police have said that it appears to be the truck driver fault. The truck was coming from the opposite direction and it crossed the divider and hit the bus. A probe will be conducted, he said.