Chitradurga (Karnataka), Dec 25 (NationPress) In a catastrophic incident on Christmas Day, a total of nine individuals are feared to have perished in a fire that engulfed a sleeper coach bus following a collision with a truck in Karnataka's Chitradurga district during the early hours of Thursday.

The police reported that the accident took place around 2 a.m. at Gorlattu Cross on National Highway 48 when a truck, traveling from the opposite direction, crossed the median and collided with the bus after the driver lost control.

Initial investigations indicate that nine passengers on the bus are presumed dead.

The driver of the truck also lost his life in the accident and has been identified as Kuldeep. Fortunately, several passengers managed to escape the burning vehicle.

IGP (North East) B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda stated on Thursday that nine passengers are still unaccounted for and feared dead. He emphasized that precise information will be confirmed once the bodies are recovered.

The private Sea Bird sleeper coach was en route from Bengaluru to the coastal town of Gokarna when it was struck by the truck. The identities of the deceased have yet to be determined, and authorities are in the process of gathering details.

Chitradurga district officials reported that 12 passengers who sustained minor injuries were transported to Hiriyur taluk hospital, while nine individuals with serious injuries were taken to a hospital in Tumakuru city. The fire has been successfully extinguished. Superintendents of Police from Tumakuru and Chitradurga districts were present at the scene.

Authorities mentioned that the bodies still require retrieval from the bus, identification, and subsequent transportation to the mortuary for post-mortem procedures. They will later be returned to the families.

A total of 21 individuals were injured in the crash. According to initial reports, there were 32 passengers aboard the bus. The final death toll will be verified after the bodies are recovered, according to officials.

The police indicated that the accident was attributed to the negligence of the truck driver. The bus driver and cleaner managed to escape without injuries. The truck driver was from Uttar Pradesh.

This incident caused significant traffic disruptions for several hours, leading to a nearly 30-kilometer-long traffic jam reported along the Bengaluru to Sira stretch of the highway.

Authorities also noted that a bus carrying school children on an academic tour, which was traveling behind the affected bus, narrowly avoided the collision. A thorough investigation is ongoing, and additional information is expected.