20 Dead in Kurnool Bus Fire; Driver Detained

A Bengaluru-bound private luxury sleeper bus from Hyderabad caught fire near Kurnool in the early hours of Oct. 24 after colliding with a motorcycle that skidded and became lodged under the coach, killing 20 people — 19 passengers and the motorcyclist — and injuring dozens. CCTV and petrol-pump footage reviewed by investigators show the rider struggling before the crash and indicate the motorcycle’s fuel cap was open; officials say sparks from the dragged bike, bus batteries, flammable furnishings, passengers’ cargo and possible fuel leakage aggravated the blaze. Police detained the bus driver, who escaped the fire, and have booked him on negligence and overspeeding charges, while forensic teams from the Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory have begun DNA matching of badly charred remains. State and central authorities announced ex-gratia payments, mobilized multiple teams for post-mortems and scene reconstruction, and transport authorities have begun checks, seizures of private buses and calls for interstate coordination amid renewed scrutiny of safety norms. Separately, a bus fire on the Ranchi–Lohardaga highway, likely caused by a short circuit, left more than 40 passengers uninjured after bystanders and emergency crews extinguished the blaze, underscoring broader concerns about bus safety.