A Bengaluru-bound private bus caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district on Friday night after colliding with a motorcycle, killing 20 people, including the bike rider. The accident occurred near Chinnatekuru village when the motorcycle, whose open fuel cap caused petrol to spill, got dragged under the bus, triggering a massive blaze. The bus, operated by V Kaveri Travels, was headed to Bengaluru and quickly became engulfed in flames, leaving little time for passengers to react.
According to police, the driver, Miriyala Lakshmaiah, 42, jumped out of the bus through the passenger door as soon as it stopped, unaware of the full extent of the fire. He later helped wake the additional driver sleeping in the luggage compartment and used a metal rod to smash windows, assisting a few passengers in escaping. Despite these efforts, the fire spread rapidly, trapping most passengers inside. Twelve people managed to flee through the emergency exit and suffered minor injuries before being rushed to Kurnool Government Hospital.
The bus was registered in Daman and Diu but had an all-India permit to operate in Andhra Pradesh. Police have seized documents from the travel company and taken both the driver and the additional driver into custody. Lakshmaiah now faces charges under Sections 125(a) and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for endangering life and causing death by negligence.
Eyewitnesses described the fire starting in the front of the bus and consuming the vehicle within minutes. Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has ordered a high-level investigation, forming a committee of transport, roads, and revenue department officials to submit a detailed report to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The state government has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for each victim’s family and Rs 2 lakh for those injured.
