36 passengers escape as private sleeper bus catches fire in Shivamogga; six injured

In a dramatic late-night incident in Shivamogga, 36 passengers escaped a blazing private sleeper bus, although six were injured.

Published on: Jan 29, 2026, 12:22:33 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

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Thirty-six passengers had a narrow escape, with six sustaining injuries, after a private sleeper bus caught fire in this district, police said on Wednesday.

The fire erupted after smoke was spotted in the driver’s cabin, leading to a crash. (HT Photo/Representative photo)

The incident occurred late Tuesday night at Arasalu-Suduru in Hosanagar taluk. The bus was en route to Bengaluru via Shivamogga from Hosanagar, police added.

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According to authorities, smoke was first noticed in the driver’s cabin. The driver allegedly panicked and lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a tree on the roadside.

When the fire broke out, passengers managed to escape through the emergency exit.

"All passengers are safe. Six, including the driver, sustained injuries—some minor, others severe. They are receiving treatment," a senior police officer said.

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Locals and passing motorists rushed to assist the passengers.

The bus was completely gutted in the fire.

Officials from Ripponpet police station visited the scene and registered a case in connection with the accident.

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Police said further investigation is underway, and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has been directed to provide a detailed report on the cause of the incident.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.