Kurnool – A harrowing accident on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway left at least 32 people presumed dead early Friday when a private bus burst into flames after slamming into a motorcycle, according to authorities.
The vehicle, a Kaveri Travels service carrying more than 40 passengers from Hyderabad toward Bengaluru, struck the two-wheeler in Chinna Tekuru village, Kurnool district. The collision, which occurred in the pre-dawn hours, ignited a ferocious fire that consumed the entire bus within moments, sealing the fate of those trapped aboard.
Rescue teams battled the inferno through the morning, extracting 11 charred remains from the wreckage so far. An additional 12 individuals escaped by breaking through windows, though several sustained severe burns and required urgent medical care. Firefighting operations persisted as crews worked to douse lingering embers and cool the site, with officials cautioning that the final death toll awaits a complete assessment.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conveyed his deep sorrow over the incident, extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. He instructed state officials to expedite relief measures and ensure comprehensive medical support for survivors.
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This disaster echoes a strikingly similar catastrophe in Rajasthan just over a week prior, where 22 lives—including three children—were lost in a bus fire near Thaiyat village on October 14. That Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-bound vehicle succumbed to flames sparked by a short circuit in its air-conditioning system, as determined by forensic experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the transport department, and the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT).
The back-to-back tragedies underscore persistent vulnerabilities in long-haul road travel, prompting renewed scrutiny of vehicle safety protocols across inter-state routes. Investigations into the Kurnool blaze are underway, with preliminary reports pointing to the high-speed impact as the trigger for the rapid conflagration.