Chitradurga: Nine people were burnt alive in a private bus collided with a truck on NH 48 in Chitradurga district in Karnataka in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the police sources, the bus is going from Bengaluru from Gokarna with 32 passengers caught fire and nine persons died and remaining passengers are injured. The accident occurred near Gorlathu village in Hiriyur taluk after the truck jumped the road divider and rammed into the oncoming bus, triggering a fire that engulfed the vehicle.

Several bodies were found charred at the scene as rescue and recovery operations continued, and many passengers escaped by jumping out. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, including those in Hiriyur, Chitradurga and Shira in Tumakuru district. Nine passengers escaped unhurt and at least two passengers were grievously injured.

The bus driver and cleaner managed to escape, while the truck driver and cleaner were among those killed.