Bhatkal girl among those killed in bus–truck collision on NH-48 near Hiriyur

Bhatkal: 26 December,2025 (Bhatkallys News Bureau) A young woman from Shirali in Bhatkal taluk was among those who lost their lives in a tragic road accident involving a private luxury bus travelling from Bengaluru to Gokarna. The accident occurred in the early hours of Thursday on National Highway 48 at Javanagondanahalli near Hiriyur taluk in Chitradurga district.

The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Rashmi Mahale from Bhatkal. She was among the passengers travelling from Bengaluru to Gokarna, a popular tourist destination in Kumta taluk.

According to sources, Rashmi had been working for the past one year in the accounts department of a software company in Bengaluru. She had left the city along with two of her friends to visit Gokarna during the Christmas holidays.

Police said the accident took place when a container truck travelling from Hiriyur towards Bengaluru lost control, crossed the road divider and came onto the wrong carriageway, colliding head-on with the private sleeper bus. Preliminary investigation suggests that the container driver may have dozed off at the wheel, leading to the vehicle veering across the divider.

Following the collision, the bus reportedly caught fire, resulting in panic and chaos among the passengers. Further details regarding the number of casualties and the condition of the injured are awaited as the investigation continues.