Bengaluru

Four people lost their lives and three others were injured after a private bus crashed into a roadside railing on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway in the early hours of Monday, police said.

The accident took place near Puttappanadoddi in Sankalagere village, close to Channapatna. The deceased have been identified as Mohammed Faran (22) and Sulfi (45) from Kozhikode in Kerala, along with Rashid (45) from Kalasipalya and Sakir (27) from Bengaluru.

According to preliminary investigations, the mishap occurred around 4:30 am when the bus, travelling from Kozhikode to Bengaluru, veered off course and rammed into an iron roadside barrier. The vehicle reportedly continued scraping the railing for nearly 100 metres before coming to a halt.

Police suspect driver fatigue as the primary cause of the accident, indicating that the driver may have briefly fallen asleep at the wheel. However, the driver claimed he was attempting to avoid an oncoming vehicle at the time of the crash.

The bus was carrying 36 passengers, and the injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

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After reviewing CCTV footage, officials said the evidence points towards negligence on the part of the driver. A case has been registered under provisions related to causing death by negligence in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the driver has been taken into custody.