BENGALURU – In a devastating road accident during the early hours of Friday, an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus rammed into a truck near Gottipura Gate in Hoskote taluk, Bengaluru Rural. The impact left five people dead, including two children, and injured at least 16 others, two of whom remain in critical condition.
According to preliminary investigations by police, the crash occurred around 2 a.m. due to rash and negligent driving by the bus driver, who admitted to being drowsy at the time. The bus, carrying approximately 30 passengers, was en route to Bengaluru from Tirupati, while the truck, loaded with iron rods, was headed to Bengaluru from Kolkata.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as:
- Yatvik (11 months) – son of an ex-army personnel
- Pranathi (5) – a young child from Chittoor district
- Tulasi alias Tanu (21) – a BTech student
- Keshavulu Reddy (44) – a laborer from Chittoor
- Sharadha (43) – a homemaker from JP Nagar, Bengaluru
All victims, except Sharadha, hailed from different villages in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district.
Crash Details: Bus Was Running Late
The APSRTC bus had reached Chittoor around 11 p.m., about 90 minutes behind schedule. As it approached the Kolar-Bengaluru highway near Gottipura Gate, the driver attempted to overtake a truck but slammed into it from behind. The force of the collision tore through the right side and roof of the bus, leaving several passengers severely injured—most of them seated on the right-hand side.
One of the passengers, Madana Mohana Reddy, a JP Nagar resident and native of Chittoor, recounted the terrifying moment:
“Around 2 a.m., we heard a loud crash. When I opened my eyes, the roof was gone. I found my wife, Dhanalakshmi, with her legs nearly severed. Some passengers were unconscious, while others, who weren’t injured, helped pull people out. Ambulances arrived about 15 to 20 minutes later.”
Dhanalakshmi, 37, is now in critical condition, having lost both legs in the accident.
Emergency Response and Investigation
A senior police officer confirmed that 16 people were injured in the crash. Besides Dhanalakshmi, the bus driver, VLK Kumar, is also in critical condition. Both are receiving treatment at a private hospital in Hoskote.
The truck driver, Dinesh Biswas of Kolkata, told police he was on his way to deliver iron rods on Mysuru Road. He claimed the bus hit his truck from behind and, fearing a mob attack, hid nearby until the injured were transported to hospital. He later surrendered to the police.
Authorities 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.
Aftermath and Cleanup
Following the accident, the bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem and later handed over to their families. Police, with assistance from local commuters, cleared the wreckage by pushing the damaged vehicles to the roadside to resume traffic flow.
This tragic incident highlights once again the dangers of fatigued driving and the urgent need for stricter monitoring of long-distance public transport operations.
