In a tragic incident early Friday morning, a private bus belonging to V. Kaveri Travels caught fire near Chinnatekur village on the outskirts of Kurnool, claiming 19 lives. The bus, en route from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, hit a two-wheeler that became lodged under the vehicle, sparking a fire that engulfed the bus.
Home Minister V. Anitha, who visited the site, confirmed that 27 passengers, including both drivers, survived the accident. Nine passengers sustained injuries, six of whom are receiving treatment at the Government General Hospital in Kurnool, while three are in a private hospital. All are reported to be in stable condition.
Among the deceased were two children and passengers from multiple states: six each from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, two each from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, one each from Odisha and Bihar, and one yet to be identified. The two-wheeler rider, B. Shivshankar (24), also lost his life. Due to the severity of the fire, the bodies were charred beyond recognition, and DNA testing will be conducted before handing over the remains to families.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the bus hit the motorbike, dragging it several feet. Sparks from the collision, combined with fuel leakage from the bike, triggered the blaze. Police received the first alert at 3:21 a.m., and firefighting teams arrived promptly. The second driver of the bus opened the rear exit to rescue trapped passengers.
Home Minister Anitha announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured from Andhra Pradesh. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced similar ex-gratia amounts for victims from Telangana. Investigations by the Kurnool police, led by Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil, are ongoing. The driver at the wheel during the accident is being questioned to determine the exact cause.
A total of 16 investigative teams have been constituted, including ten forensic teams for DNA analysis, four teams for physical examination of the site, and two teams for chemical analysis. Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta also visited the accident site.
The victims include a family of four from Nellore district and three young women IT professionals from Telugu states working in Bengaluru. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, currently in the UAE, expressed deep shock and coordinated with state officials to expedite relief, body identification, and handover to families. He has also ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident.
The Telangana government stated that the accident resulted from driver negligence and announced measures to ensure private bus operators hire trained drivers and strictly comply with transport safety regulations.
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