At least 19 people were killed and several others injured after a private luxury bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire near Chinnatekuru village in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district early on Friday.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. when the sleeper coach, carrying 43 passengers, collided with a motorbike moving in the same direction. The impact caused the bike to get trapped under the bus, triggering sparks that led to a massive blaze, officials said.
Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil confirmed that the motorcyclist died on the spot, and the ensuing fire quickly engulfed the vehicle, leaving passengers with little time to escape. Many of the victims were asleep when the tragedy struck.
The two bus drivers, identified as Miryala Lakshmaiah and Gudipati Siva Narayana, have been detained for questioning. Police and rescue teams rushed to the spot and managed to pull several passengers to safety, though many sustained burn injuries and were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Expressing condolences, President Droupadi Murmu described the accident as “deeply unfortunate” and extended sympathy to the bereaved families while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who lost their lives and ₹50,000 for the injured.
The Telangana government also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the families of six victims from the state. Helplines have been set up to assist relatives seeking information about the passengers.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the exact cause of the fire, while forensic and transport officials are assessing safety compliance and mechanical faults in the vehicle.
