Five killed after truck collides with bus in Karnataka, most victims burnt to death: Police
Chitradurga (PTI): At least five persons were killed when a speeding truck crashed against a luxury sleeper bus that caught fire under the impact in this district in the wee hours of Thursday, a senior police official said.
While the East Zone Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda 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 PTI. According to Gowda, three others whose identity was not known might have saved their lives by jumping out of the bus.
Four passengers of the bus and the driver of the truck were killed in the accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condoled the deaths. Both announced ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased.
Siddaramaiah also said a proper probe would be conducted into the fatal accident.
The accident happened after the container truck jumped a road divider and collided with the oncoming bus, Gowda told reporters.
The bus with 32 occupants, including 30 passengers was on its way from Bengaluru to Gokarna. The vehicle was engulfed in flames under the impact of the collision and most of the deceased were burnt alive inside the bus at Golarthi in Hiriyur Taluk, he added.
The bus driver and cleaner escaped. The truck driver is among the dead, he added.
"As per the investigation so far, it (container lorry) directly hit the diesel tank (of the bus), leading to diesel tank leak and fire," Gowda said.
According to police sources, three friends were among the survivors. Two other passengers saved their lives by jumping from the vehicle.
"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.
Another bus from T Dasrahalli to Dandeli with 42 school children that was behind the fateful bus just escaped the accident.
"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.
Most passengers of the bus that was involved in the accident had booked their tickets online.
"We have got their phone numbers. We are trying to contact their families," he said.
The officer said a DNA test would be performed to identify the bodies.
Recalling the horror, driver of the bus Rafiq said the truck came from the other side of the road divider and hit his vehicle.
"It was overspeeding. I was maintaining the speed at 60-70 (km/hr) at that time. I saw the vehicle coming from the front. I know only the vehicle (truck) hitting the bus, after that I don't know what happened and how I was brought out."
A badly injured Rafiq told reporters in the hospital that he tried to control the bus on seeing the vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.
"My bus even grazed a vehicle moving next to us. I don't know what vehicle it was. But, couldn't (control)."
Mohammed Sadiq, the cleaner of the bus who is also undergoing treatment with minor injuries, said he was thrown out of the bus due to the impact.
"The truck that was coming from the opposite direction directly rammed the diesel tank. I was in the front of the bus and was asleep when the accident occurred. Due to the impact of the accident, I was thrown out, breaking the glass of the bus," he said.
Condoling the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on 'X': "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest."
He said an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.
Mourning the dead, chief minister Siddaramaiah announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the families of those who died in the accident and Rs 50,000 each to those who were injured.
"Having obtained information about the incident from the officials, I have directed them to stand by for assistance to the affected. An investigation will be conducted in this regard, the cause of the accident will be identified, and necessary measures will be taken," Siddaramaiah posted on 'X'.
Deputy CM D K Shivakumar too mourned the tragedy saying he was shocked to know about the accident.
ALSO READ: Chitradurga: Private sleeper bus catches fire after truck crosses divider; at least 17 burnt alive
The accident was so severe that the bus and the truck were completely mangled. Fire spread all over the road as people struggled to douse the flame.
Fire fighters who rushed to the spot found it hard to contain the fire.
The charred remains of the bus were seen lying across the highway, with the roof caved in and metal frames twisted.
The vehicle was reduced to a metal skeleton, with burnt debris scattered across the road.
Burnt fragments, personal belongings and vehicle parts were seen scattered across the stretch of the road.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
