Bengaluru: A late night trip turned disastrous for around 30 passengers travelling from Bengaluru to Kalaburagi when a private semi sleeper bus lost control and rammed into an electricity pole near Kerekattiganuru Cross, close to Nelamangala, in the early hours of Friday. Though no injuries were reported, the vehicle later caught fire, reducing luggage, cash, and personal belongings to ashes and leaving several travellers emotionally and financially shaken.
Among the worst affected was Shivananda Hiremath, a cab driver from Jewargi taluk in Kalaburagi district, who said he lost nearly ₹5 lakh kept in his bag money meant to redeem his family’s pledged jewellery. “That was our lifetime saving. Everything we worked for was burnt before our eyes,” he said.
Passengers alleged that reckless driving led to the crash. The bus, scheduled to depart from the Majestic area at 10 pm on Thursday, reportedly left about 45 minutes behind schedule. Travellers claimed the driver appeared to be speeding to cover the delay, frequently overtaking vehicles in a risky manner.
“He ignored repeated requests to slow down and behaved rudely,” Hiremath said, adding that panic had begun to spread inside the bus moments before the accident. According to passengers, the driver attempted to navigate through tight traffic at high speed, lost control, and the bus veered off the road.
The situation worsened after the crash when the bus staff allegedly fled the scene, leaving passengers stranded on a dimly lit highway. Roughly an hour later, flames engulfed the vehicle, destroying documents, valuables, and other essentials.
Another passenger, Shilpa, described the ordeal as heartbreaking. “We survived, but we lost everything our savings, valuables, and peace of mind,” she said.