In a tragic incident on December 25, 2025, ten people were killed when a private sleeper bus collided with a truck in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district. The accident occurred in Hiriyur taluk on National Highway 48, after the truck jumped the road divider and rammed into the oncoming bus travelling from Bengaluru to Gokarna with 32 passengers. The intense impact caused the bus to burst into flames almost immediately.
Many passengers managed to escape by jumping out of windows or breaking glass, but several others were trapped inside, with charred bodies recovered at the scene during rescue operations. Fire tenders extinguished the blaze, and the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals in Hiriyur and Chitradurga.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families, announcing ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause.