The bus was heading towards Gokarna from Bengaluru.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Chitradurga: In a horrific accident, as many as nine people were charred to death and others sustained injuries when a heavy truck rammed into a private bus after hitting road divider on the national highway near Javangondanahalli, Hiriyur taluk in the wee hours of Thursday.
The bus was heading towards Gokarna from Bengaluru. The collision was so severe that it triggered spark that led to the incident.
Eastern Range IGP Ravikanthe Gowda rushed to the spot.
The accident happened after the truck jumped a road-divider and collided with the oncoming bus, Gowda told reporters.
The bus driver and cleaner escaped. The driver of the truck and its cleaner are among the dead.
The injured passengers have been shifted to a hospital in Shira in Tumakuru district, he added.
PM Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh for the next of kin.
According to police, five passengers died on the spot. The bus driver and the conductor managed to survive. The 12-wheeler truck driver died on th spot, officials said.