A deadly bus fire near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, that claimed 20 lives has led to the arrest of driver Miriyala Lakshmaiah, with investigators alleging he used forged academic documents to obtain a heavy vehicle licence despite limited formal education. Police said the chain of events began when two men on a motorcycle crashed into a road divider; the pillion rider moved the deceased rider to the roadside but could not remove the fallen bike before a double-decker sleeper bus ran over it, dragging the two-wheeler.
Officials said friction and leaked fuel from the motorcycle likely triggered an ignition that rapidly engulfed the bus, trapping passengers as flames spread through the lower compartment. While several commuters escaped via emergency exits and shattered windows, 19 passengers were charred to death on board and one person linked to the bike crash also died. Police added that the two men on the motorcycle had consumed alcohol earlier in the night based on forensic indicators and CCTV corroboration of their movements.
Preliminary inquiries are also examining compliance gaps, including the driver’s licence credentials and whether any carriage rules were violated that could have worsened the fire’s intensity. Authorities said further forensic analysis and scene reconstruction are underway to fix accountability across operators, licensing lapses, and road safety enforcement.
