Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh: A devastating bus fire in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh has claimed the lives of at least 19 people and injured several others. The tragedy occurred early Friday morning near Chinna Tekuru village in Kalluru Mandal when a private sleeper bus, en route to Bengaluru from Hyderabad, caught fire after colliding with a motorbike.
According to police reports, the bus, operated by Kaveri Travels, was carrying 43 passengers. The collision with the motorcycle occurred around 3:30 a.m., resulting in a fire that quickly engulfed the bus. Initial reports suggest that sparks from the collision ignited the bus's fuel tank, leading to the rapid spread of the flames.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, chaos erupted as passengers, many of whom were asleep, awoke to find the bus ablaze. Some passengers managed to escape by breaking windows and jumping to safety. However, many were trapped inside the inferno and were burned to death.
Adding to the severity of the situation, authorities have stated that the driver of the bus fled the scene immediately after the accident. Koya Praveen, Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Kurnool), confirmed that the driver who was at the wheel at the time of the collision escaped, while the standby driver was detained for questioning.
Eyewitness accounts from survivors paint a harrowing picture of the events. One passenger recounted spotting the fire and alerting the driver, but the flames spread too quickly. Another survivor stated that the doors were locked, and they couldn't locate the drivers amidst the chaos. A survivor, who sustained a fracture while escaping, criticized the driver and staff for not alerting passengers or attempting to open the doors to help people escape.
The Andhra Pradesh government has formed a high-power committee consisting of officials from the transport, roads, and revenue departments to investigate the cause of the accident. Police have taken both drivers, Miryala Lakshmaiah and Gudipati Siva Narayana, into custody. Ulindakonda police have registered a case under Sections 125 (a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (carelessly endanger human life or personal safety) and Section 106 of the BNS (causing death by negligence).
Telangana Excise and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who visited the accident site, expressed his condolences and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. He also blamed the driver for the incident and said the government would take special measures to prevent such accidents in the future. Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar Goud expressed deep concern and said that all necessary measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his sadness over the loss of lives and announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu also conveyed her condolences.
Gadwal District Collector B.M. Santosh reported that of the 43 passengers, 13 were from Telangana, 12 from Andhra Pradesh, and the remaining from other states. Telangana Jagruthi leader Kavitha Kalvakuntla urged the Union transport minister to review the sleeper bus policy, noting several similar incidents involving sleeper buses across the country.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on providing support to the families of the victims and ensuring that such tragedies are prevented in the future.
