48 Children Escape Unhurt As School Bus Crashes Burnt Coach That Killed 10 In Chitradurga

Bengaluru

oi-Prakash KL

A
major
tragedy
was
narrowly
avoided
on
National
Highway
48
in
Karnataka’s
Chitradurga
district
on
Thursday
when
a
school
bus
carrying
48
students
collided
with
a
sleeper
coach
that
had
already
been
engulfed
in
flames
following
a
collision
with
a
lorry
that
killed
at
least
nine
people.
However,
all
the
schoolchildren
escaped
unhurt,
bringing
a
moment
of
relief
amid
the
devastation.

The
incident
occurred
at
Gorlathu
Cross
in
Hiriyur
taluk,
where
a
private
sleeper
bus
was
involved
in
a
catastrophic
collision
with
a
container
lorry.
According
to
police,
the
lorry
jumped
the
central
divider
and
rammed
into
the
bus,
triggering
a
massive
fire
that
trapped
several
passengers
inside.
As
the
burning
bus
lay
on
the
highway,
a
school
bus
travelling
parallel
to
it
from
T
Dasarahalli
to
Dandeli
collided
with
the
charred
vehicle.

Fortunately,
the
school
bus
did
not
catch
fire.
All
48
students
on
board
were
safely
evacuated,
and
none
of
them
sustained
injuries.
The
school
bus
driver,
who
witnessed
the
entire
sequence
of
events,
has
since
been
identified
as
a
key
eyewitness,
and
his
statement
is
being
recorded
by
investigators.

Speaking
to
ANI,
Inspector
General
of
Police
Dr
B
R
Ravikante
Gowda
said
the
accident
unfolded
within
seconds.
“A
sleeper
bus
was
going
towards
Gokarna
when
a
fuel
tanker
container
jumped
the
divider
and
hit
it.
As
per
preliminary
investigation,
eight
passengers
and
the
container
driver
died.
In
total,
nine
people
have
lost
their
lives,” he
said.
He
added
that
one
of
the
injured
victims,
who
suffered
nearly
20
per
cent
burns,
was
referred
to
Victoria
Hospital
in
Bengaluru
for
advanced
treatment.

Police
said
there
were
around
32
people
on
the
sleeper
bus,
including
the
driver
and
conductor.
While
some
managed
to
escape
by
jumping
out
before
the
fire
spread,
several
others
were
trapped
inside
as
the
bus
was
gutted.
The
lorry
driver,
identified
as
Kuldeep,
died
on
the
spot.

The
crash
caused
massive
traffic
disruptions
on
NH-48,
with
vehicles
stranded
for
hours
and
congestion
stretching
several
kilometres
towards
Shira.
Senior
police
officials,
including
Chitradurga
Superintendent
of
Police
Ranjith,
visited
the
accident
site.
A
case
has
been
registered
at
the
Hiriyur
Rural
Police
Station,
and
further
investigation
is
underway
to
determine
the
exact
cause
of
the
collision.

Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
expressed
deep
sorrow
over
the
loss
of
lives
and
announced
an
ex
gratia
of
Rs
2
lakh
each
for
the
families
of
the
deceased.
In
a
message
shared
by
the
Prime
Minister’s
Office,
he
conveyed
condolences
to
the
bereaved
families
and
wished
a
speedy
recovery
to
the
injured.

While
the
fatal
crash
has
once
again
raised
concerns
over
highway
safety
and
reckless
driving,
the
safe
escape
of
the
schoolchildren
stood
out
as
a
rare
piece
of
good
news
in
an
otherwise
tragic
incident.