KSRTC bus crash on Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway kills 2, four critical near Ramanagara
Synopsis
A KSRTC bus carrying passengers from Kozhikode to Bengaluru overturned on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway near Ramanagara on 8 August after the driver reportedly lost control in rain and struck a highway signboard. The driver and conductor died on the spot; four passengers remain critical. It is the second fatal bus crash on this same expressway stretch in under five months.
Key Takeaways
Two people killed — driver Mithilesh and conductor Arun — after a KSRTC bus overturned on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway on 8 August .
Four passengers remain in a critical condition; at least 20 people were injured in total.
The bus was travelling from Kozhikode, Kerala to Bengaluru when it struck a large roadside signboard near Avaragere Gate, Ramanagara taluk .
Police say the driver lost control during rain ; the exact cause is still under investigation by Bidadi police station .
The same expressway stretch saw a separate fatal crash on 23 March in which four passengers were killed.
Two people were killed and at least 20 others injured — four of them critically — after a KSRTC bus travelling from Kozhikode, Kerala to Bengaluru overturned on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway near Avaragere Gate in Ramanagara taluk, Karnataka on Saturday, 8 August. The bus lost control, reportedly during rain, and rammed into a large roadside directional signboard before overturning on the carriageway.
What Happened
According to preliminary information from police, the bus was heading towards Bengaluru when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The bus struck a large directional signboard installed beside the highway and overturned due to the force of the impact, also bringing down the signboard structure. The accident fell within the limits of Bidadi police station.
The two deceased were identified — according to preliminary investigation — as the bus driver, Mithilesh, and the conductor, Arun, both of whom died at the scene. The injured passengers were swiftly shifted to nearby hospitals, where four remain in a critical condition.
Emergency Response
Personnel from the Bidadi police station and the Fire and Emergency Services Department reached the accident site shortly after receiving information about the crash. Emergency crews worked to extricate passengers and clear the overturned bus from the road. The accident caused severe traffic disruption on the expressway, with vehicles backing up along the affected stretch before authorities began restoring movement.
Investigation Underway
The Bidadi police have registered a case and launched a formal investigation into the incident. The exact circumstances that led the driver to lose control are yet to be officially confirmed, though police stated that rain was a contributing factor. Notably, no other vehicles are reported to have been in close proximity to the bus at the time of the crash, according to initial accounts.
A Recurring Danger on This Stretch
This is not the first fatal accident on this corridor. On 23 March, four passengers were killed and several others injured on the same Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway in Ramanagara district after a bus crashed into a roadside fence in the early hours of the morning. The repeat incidents on this stretch raise questions about road safety infrastructure, signboard placement, and wet-weather driving protocols for long-haul state transport buses. Further details about the victims and the condition of the critically injured passengers are awaited.
Point of View
Not a coincidence. The Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway was built for speed, but repeated accidents involving state transport buses — in rain, at night, near large signboard structures — point to unresolved questions about road furniture placement and wet-weather operational protocols for KSRTC. The deaths of the driver and conductor, rather than passengers, also warrant scrutiny: were they operating under fatigue or time pressure? Investigators should look beyond weather as a catch-all explanation and examine scheduling, rest norms, and whether oversized highway signboards near the carriageway present a structural hazard.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the KSRTC bus accident on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway?
A KSRTC bus travelling from Kozhikode in Kerala to Bengaluru lost control and crashed into a large roadside directional signboard near Avaragere Gate in Ramanagara taluk on 8 August, causing it to overturn. Two people — the driver and the conductor — were killed on the spot, and at least 20 others were injured, four of them critically.
Who were the victims killed in the Ramanagara bus crash?
According to preliminary investigation, the two people who died were the bus driver, identified as Mithilesh, and the conductor, identified as Arun. Both died at the scene of the accident.
What caused the KSRTC bus to overturn near Ramanagara?
Police stated that the driver lost control of the bus during rain, causing it to ram into a large directional signboard beside the highway, which then overturned the vehicle. The exact circumstances are still under investigation by Bidadi police.
Has there been a previous accident on this stretch of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway?
Yes. On 23 March, four passengers were killed and several others injured on the same Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway in Ramanagara district after a bus crashed into a roadside fence. Saturday's crash is the second fatal incident on this stretch in under five months.
What is the current condition of the injured passengers?
Of the approximately 20 people injured in the crash, four remain in a critical condition and are undergoing treatment at a hospital. The remaining injured sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.
