Chitradurga Bus–Truck Crash: Driver Recalls Moments Before Fatal Collision That Killed Five

A devastating road accident in Chitradurga, Karnataka, claimed at least five lives in the early hours of Thursday after a container truck crossed a road divider and rammed into an oncoming bus, police officials said.

The bus driver, Rafiq, who survived the crash, recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the collision. Speaking to NDTV, he said the truck was travelling at a very high speed, while he was driving at around 60–70 kmph.

“It was overspeeding. I was maintaining my speed. I saw the vehicle coming from the front and tried to control the bus, but I couldn’t,” Rafiq said.

According to him, the bus briefly brushed against another vehicle before the speeding container truck struck it head-on. Rafiq said he has no recollection of what happened immediately after the impact or how he was rescued.

Police officials confirmed that the accident occurred around 2 am, when the container truck reportedly jumped the median and entered the opposite lane. The crash resulted in the deaths of four bus passengers and the truck driver, said East Zone Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda, as quoted by PTI.

Reacting to the tragedy, Narendra Modi and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed their condolences to the bereaved families. Both leaders announced ex-gratia compensation for the victims’ next of kin.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the exact cause of the accident and fix responsibility.