Bus with 32 passengers which was on its way to Gokarna was engulfted in flames under the impact of the collision Chitradurga: At least five people were killed when a speeding truck crashed against a luxury sleeper bus, which caught fire under the impact in Chitradurga district in Karnataka early on Thursday, December 25, a senior police official said. The bus, with 32 passengers was on its way to Gokarna, when it was engulfted in flames under the impact of the collision and most of the deceased were burnt alive inside the vehicle, East Zone Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ravikanthe Gowda said. The accident happened after the truck jumped a road-divider and collided with the oncoming bus, Gowda told reporters. The bus driver and cleaner escaped. The driver of the truck was among those who died. While the IGP had earlier said nine people were killed, citing preliminary investigation, later he and the district police chief confirmed that five persons lost their lives. “Only five people have died,” Superintendent of Police, Ranjith Kumar Bandaru, told news agency PTI Four passengers of the bus and the driver of the truck were killed in the accident. “As per the investigation so far, it (container lorry) directly hit the diesel tank (of the bus), leading to diesel tank leak and fire,” the IGP said. PTI, quoting police sources, said three friends were among the survivors. Two other passengers saved their lives by jumping from the vehicle Injure passengers shifted to hospital “Of the 12 injured, nine have been shifted to Sira and three to Tumakuru. One of the patients with critical burn injuries has been taken to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru,” Gowda added. Except for the one who has been shifted to Bengaluru, the rest of the injured are out of danger, the IGP said. The bus carrying schoolchildren hit the bus (involved in the accident) from behind, turned to the other side and veered off the road. Fortunately, no one sustained even a minor injury,” Gowda said. The children continued their journey in another bus, he said, adding that the school bus driver is an important eyewitness whose statement will be recorded. At least two passengers were grievously injured, police said.