Bus Fire Tragedy Kills 20 on Bengaluru–Hyderabad Route
A horrific accident triggered by a fuel leak claimed multiple lives in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district.
At least 20 people lost their lives after a private bus caught fire following a collision with a motorcycle on the Bengaluru–Hyderabad highway early Friday. The blaze was reportedly caused by a fuel leak that ignited after the crash.
Officials said the bus was carrying 41 passengers. “Twenty-one people were rescued. Of the remaining, 11 bodies have been identified so far,” district revenue officer A Siri told the news agency ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, saying his thoughts were with the affected families. He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased, and ₹50,000 for those injured.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in a statement.
India, despite being the world’s third-largest automobile market, continues to face high rates of road fatalities. More than 180,000 people died in road accidents across the country last year, according to government data.
A similar incident just last month in Rajasthan left 19 people dead when a private bus burst into flames after an accident.
