Four dead, 35 injured as Bengaluru-Kozhikode sleeper bus collides with truck near Periyapatna

A sleeper bus traveling the Bengaluru‑Kozhikode corridor collided with a heavy truck on the national highway near Periyapatna in Karnataka on Tuesday evening. Police reports indicate that a large tree had been uprooted by the night’s heavy rains and fell close to the road. To avoid striking the trunk, the truck driver swerved sharply to the right, entering the bus’s lane. The sudden maneuver left the bus driver with little time to react, resulting in a high‑speed impact that sent the bus into a spin. The stretch of road is known for frequent landslides during the monsoon season, and the accident underscores the hazards that drivers face when weather‑related debris appears without warning.

Emergency services arrived within minutes, and rescue teams used hydraulic equipment to cut through the damaged bus body and free trapped passengers. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while thirty‑five others sustained injuries ranging from minor cuts to serious fractures and were rushed to nearby hospitals in Mysore and Hassan. Families of the victims gathered at the accident site, demanding swift compensation and a transparent inquiry. The incident has revived public concern over the safety of long‑distance bus travel, especially on routes that cut through remote, rain‑prone areas where medical facilities are often far away.

State police have opened a formal investigation to determine whether negligence contributed to the crash, and they have ordered a temporary suspension of night‑time travel on the affected stretch until safety checks are completed. Officials from the Karnataka Transport Department said they will inspect the highway for additional fallen debris and reinforce signage warning drivers of potential hazards during heavy rain. For residents of Karnataka, the accident highlights the need for better infrastructure maintenance and rapid response mechanisms, especially as climate patterns bring more intense storms that can jeopardize road safety across the state.