Overview
- Officials report a private sleeper coach on NH‑48 near Hiriyur in Chitradurga burst into flames after a collision, leaving multiple passengers trapped.
- Death toll figures vary across outlets, with police confirming at least nine to ten fatalities and some reports citing higher numbers, as rescue and identification continue.
- Preliminary investigations indicate the lorry crossed the central divider, and officers say the driver may have fallen asleep; the lorry driver is among the dead.
- Authorities say 32 people were on the bus, about 21 have been traced to hospitals with injuries, and additional passengers are being accounted for.
- In separate Tamil Nadu incidents, a tyre-burst crash near Cuddalore killed seven to nine people and a Ranipet median strike injured ten devotees, with the state announcing ex‑gratia support for victims.