At least 20 people lost their lives and many others were injured when a Volvo bus caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler on National Highway 44 near Ullindakonda village, Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, in the early hours of Friday. The bus, operated by Kaveri Travels and en route from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, was carrying 41 passengers, most of whom were asleep at the time of the tragedy.
Officials revealed that the two-wheeler got trapped under the bus during the collision, which led to a fuel tank leak and subsequent fire that engulfed the vehicle rapidly. Authorities dispatched rescue teams and police to the scene, managing to save 21 passengers, while the identification of 11 bodies has been completed, with efforts ongoing for the rest.
The incident has sparked an inquiry, with the Forensic Science Laboratory involved to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Tracing the Incident and Rescue Operations
The accident occurred between 3 am and 3:10 am near Chinnatekuru village in Kallur mandal. Police officials, including Superintendent Vikrant Patil, explained the sequence of events: the two-wheeler collided with the bus and got stuck underneath it, likely causing a spark that ignited the fire.
Due to the bus being an air-conditioned Volvo coach, locked doors and high temperatures inside made escape difficult for passengers, forcing many to break windows to flee. Survivors described the horror of waking to flames and not being able to open the bus doors, with some managing to jump out just in time.
Local emergency services acted swiftly, dousing the flames, but the bus was completely gutted. Kurnool District Collector A Siri said both bus drivers escaped the fire, and authorities are tracing the families of the victims. Firefighters and forensic experts are working at the site to collect DNA samples and conduct postmortems where possible.
Official Statements and Support Measures
The tragedy elicited immediate responses from top leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound grief and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured sufferers from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. “My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time,” the PMO tweeted. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu assured full state support to victims and families, calling the incident “devastating.”
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar extended his condolences and emphasized that every possible support would be provided without delay. President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan also offered heartfelt condolences, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The BJP state leadership visited the site to assess the situation and provide assistance. A control room has been set up to aid families and coordinate the ongoing rescue efforts.
Background and Broader Concerns on Safety
The Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway is one of the busiest corridors in South India and has witnessed multiple road mishaps over the years. This is not the first tragic incident involving public transport on this route. The current accident spot near Kurnool had seen fatal bus accidents before, reinforcing concerns about road safety, vehicle maintenance, and driver vigilance, especially during overnight travel.
Early investigations suggest that the crash resulted not only from the collision but from a critical failure of fire safety mechanisms inside the bus, such as damaged electrical wiring after impact and locked or malfunctioning doors that trapped passengers.
This has sparked calls from safety experts and advocacy groups for rigorous audits of private buses, stricter regulations on driver working hours to prevent fatigue, and enforced standards on emergency exits and fire suppression systems in coaches.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This heartrending tragedy underscores the indispensable need for prioritising passenger safety on Indian roads. The loss of 20 lives, many of whom were helplessly asleep when disaster struck, reflects systemic gaps in transport safety regulations and enforcement.
The Logical Indian urges transport authorities and private operators to elevate safety protocols, including fire prevention, emergency evacuation readiness, and real-time monitoring of driver alertness. Equally, government agencies must enhance infrastructure and response capabilities to mitigate such disasters swiftly.
Compassionate governance combined with vigilant citizen action can help transform India’s roads into safer journeys for all.
