Karnataka: At least 9 people were killed, and over 20 were injured on Thursday (December 25, 2025) after a private sleeper bus caught fire near Hiriyur Taluk in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district. Preliminary reports revealed that the bus burst into flames after colliding with a container vehicle. Several passengers were charred to death, and many sustained critical burn injuries in the accident.
The incident took place on National Highway 48 near Gorlathu village in Chitradurga district. A total of 32 passengers were present on the bus at the time of the incident. According to reports, several people were trapped inside the vehicle as the blaze intensified, which belonged to a private service named Seabird Coach.
#WATCH | Karnataka | An accident took place between a lorry and a private bus near Gorlathu village in Chitradurga district on National Highway 48. More details awaited
(Visuals from the spot) pic.twitter.com/r38wVVJ77r
---Advertisement---— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2025
Death toll likely to increase
The bus was en route to Shivamogga from Bengaluru when it burst into flames after crashing into a lorry. Nine passengers reportedly escaped unhurt, while the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals. Authorities and emergency teams are currently carrying out rescue operations in the area to clear the road.
Videos circulating on social media showed locals near the spot as the bus continued to erupt in huge flames after the head-on collision. The number of passengers burnt alive could likely increase.
Horrible accident Near Hiriyur along Bengaluru Hubballi highway, sleeper bus caught fire, 30+ feared dead! .#Busfire #chitradurga #karnataka pic.twitter.com/Fdpe5Tg999
— Naik Kartik (@mekartiknaik) December 24, 2025
PM Modi offers condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the unfortunate bus accident in Karnataka. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a post on X. Meanwhile, PM Modi has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 Lakh for families of deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
PMO India tweets, "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin… pic.twitter.com/qxNzwbJTli
— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2025
Tamil Nadu: 9 killed after bus crashes into two vehicles
In a separate incident reported from Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, at least 9 people were killed, and four others sustained injuries after a bus collided with two vehicles. The accident took place on a national highway when a state-run government bus heading from Tiruchirappalli suffered a tyre burst. As a result, the driver lost control, and the bus jumped onto the road median, and collided head-on with an SUV and a car going towards Tiruchirappalli from Chennai.
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