Four passengers were killed and several others injured in an accident on the Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district in the early hours of Monday (March 23, 2026), after a bus crashed into a roadside fence.

According to police, the impact of the crash was severe, leaving the bus badly mangled. Two passengers died on the spot, while two others succumbed to injuries later at a hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Farhan (22) and Sulfi Rafeez (45), both from Kozhikode in Kerala, Rasheed (45) from Kalasipalya in Bengaluru, and Sakir (27) from Anepalya, Adugodi, in Bengaluru.

Two injured passengers — Abdul and Alain from Kannur, Kerala, — are currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

How it happened

Preliminary investigation revealed that the bus, carrying 43 people including 36 passengers and seven staff members, was travelling at high speed when the driver allegedly dozed off. The vehicle veered to the left and crashed into the roadside fencing, dragging along it for nearly 100 m. Metal rods from the fence pierced through the left side of the bus, fatally injuring passengers seated there.

The driver, Riyaz, initially claimed he swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. However, CCTV footage reviewed by the police suggests that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

“The driver stated he was trying to avoid another vehicle, but evidence indicates negligence due to feeling drowsy while driving,” a senior traffic police officer said.

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Driver arrested

The Channapatna Traffic Police have arrested the driver and registered a case of negligent driving.

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Superintendent of Police R. Srinivas Gowda and other officers visited the spot and conducted an inspection. The bodies have been shifted to the Channapatna Government Hospital for post-mortem, and will be handed over to the families after completion of formalities