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In a horrific road accident near Gottipura Gate in Bengaluru Rural’s Hoskote taluk early Friday, five people, including two children, lost their lives after an APSRTC bus rammed into a truck from behind, Times of India reported.
Sixteen others were injured, two of them critically, in the crash that occurred around 2 am on the Kolar-Bengaluru highway, the report added.
According to preliminary investigation, police said the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus was being driven rashly by a drowsy driver who lost control while trying to overtake a truck loaded with iron rods. The bus, which had started from Tirupati and was heading to Bengaluru, had around 30 passengers on board.
The impact of the collision was severe, the right side and roof of the bus were ripped apart, injuring several passengers seated on that side.
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Who are the deceased?
The deceased were identified as 11-month-old Yatvik, 5-year-old Pranathi, 21-year-old BTech student Tulasi alias Tanu, and 44-year-old labourer Keshavulu Reddy, all from different villages in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. The fifth victim, 43-year-old Sharadha, was a resident of JP Nagar in Bengaluru.
The driver, identified as VLK Kumar, later admitted to police that he was drowsy at the time of the accident. The bus had been running about 90 minutes behind schedule, reaching Chittoor around 11pm instead of the scheduled 9.30pm.
A survivor, Madana Mohana Reddy, a resident of JP Nagar and native of Chittoor, recounted the terrifying moments. “Around 2am, we were all asleep when a loud crash woke us. I looked up and the roof of the bus was gone. My wife Dhanalakshmi, who was seated beside me, had both legs nearly severed,” he said. “A few passengers were unconscious. Those of us who were unharmed helped pull others out. Ambulances took around 15–20 minutes to arrive.”
Dhanalakshmi, 37, and the bus driver are among those in critical condition. Both are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hoskote.
The truck driver, Dinesh Biswas from Kolkata, told police he was transporting iron rods to Mysuru Road in Bengaluru. After the crash, fearing a backlash from the crowd, he reportedly hid nearby and approached the police only after the injured were shifted to hospital.
Police confirmed that neither of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol. A case has been registered at the Hoskote traffic police station based on a complaint filed by Madana Mohana Reddy. The damaged vehicles were cleared from the highway with the help of passersby.
The bodies of the deceased were sent for postmortem at a government hospital in Hoskote and later handed over to their families.
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