"I Tried, But...": Karnataka Driver Recounts Moment Truck Crashed Into Bus

The truck came from the opposite direction and hit the divider, said the bus driver, while his aide pointed out that the truck hit its fuel tank.

25 Dec 2025, 06:31 · www.ndtv.com

Show
Quick Read
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Five people died after a luxury bus caught fire on NH-48 in Karnataka early morning
A speeding truck collided with the bus, hitting its diesel tank, said the bus staff
Most passengers were asleep when the crash occurred near Hiriyur en route to Bengaluru

Did our AI summary help?
Let us know.
Switch To Beeps Mode

At least five people were burnt alive in a highway tragedy in Karnataka early this morning. A luxury private bus caught fire on National Highway-48 after a speeding truck rammed it in Chitradurga, trapping the sleeping passengers around 2 am. The fire rapidly engulfed the bus as passengers struggled to escape the burning vehicle.

The truck came from the opposite direction and hit the divider, said Rafiq, the driver of the bus who is now recovering in a hospital, while his aide pointed out that the impact of the collision was on the fuel tank of the bus.

"It was overspeeding. I was maintaining the speed of 60-70 (km/hr) at that time. I saw the vehicle coming from the front. I know only the vehicle (truck) hitting the bus," Rafiq told reporters, recounting the horrific moment.

He has no clue what happened after that and how he was rescued. Rafiq said he tried to control his vehicle on seeing the speeding truck, but couldn't.

"I tried to control the bus on seeing the vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. My bus even touched the other vehicle, which was moving next to us; I don't know what vehicle it was. But couldn't (control)," the driver added.

The collision occurred near Hiriyur when the bus was covering a 300-km journey from Bengaluru to Shivamogga. Most passengers were sleeping at that time, until the loud noise of the crash woke them up.

Recounting the moment, Mohammed Sadiq, the cleaner of the bus, said the truck directly rammed the bus's diesel tank. He said he was sleeping on the front side of the bus during the accident.

In the impact, Sadiq was thrown out of the bus. He broke through the glass and fell outside as fire engulfed the massive structure of the luxury bus. Sadiq is now under treatment, recovering from his injuries.

The accident left five people dead, including bus passengers.

A senior official indicated that the impact on the diesel tank might have led to a leak, which could possibly be the reason behind the fire. "A few passengers managed to escape the fire," said Ravikant Gowda, Inspector General of Police.

An eyewitness on the ground who witnessed the crash gave a similar account to that of the driver and the cleaner.

"People were screaming. There was fire all around," recalled a survivor, Aditya. The door had jammed, and the passengers had to break the window glass to escape. "People tried to save others, but the fire spread so rapidly that it became difficult."

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called the incident "heartbreaking" and ordered a thorough investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the family members of the victims and Rs 50,000 for those injured.

Show full article

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world