SHIVAMOGGA: A private non-AC sleeper bus travelling from Nagara in Hosanagara taluk to Bengaluru was gutted in a fire near Suduru village early on Wednesday, leaving at least 35 passengers with minor injuries and one passenger seriously injured, police said.
The fire broke out near the ninth milestone, close to Arasalu village, shortly after the bus began its journey. The private bus had picked up passengers from Nagara, Hosanagara and Ripponpet before the incident.
The bus caught fire minutes after smoke was noticed inside, following which the driver rammed the vehicle into a tree to bring it to a stop, allowing passengers to escape.
Twelve injured passengers were shifted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga, while the remaining were admitted to Ripponpet Hospital.
All are reported to be out of danger.
Personnel from the fire and emergency services and Ripponpet police rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze; however, the bus was completely destroyed.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The police are questioning the driver, and an RTO team also visited the spot to ascertain the cause of the accident. Ripponpet police registered a case in this regard. MP B Y Raghavendra wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.