The driver of the Bengaluru-bound private bus that went up in flames in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district on Friday, killing 20 people, escaped the fire by jumping through the passenger door before realising the gravity of the situation, police said on Saturday.
Miriyala Lakshmaiah, 42, and an additional driver are now in police custody. A case of negligence and overspeeding has been registered against him at Ulindakonda police station under Sections 125(a) (endangering human life) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The accident occurred late Friday near Chinnatekuru village when the ill-fated bus, owned by V Kaveri Travels, collided with a motorcycle. The two-wheeler’s open fuel cap triggered a massive fire as it got dragged under the bus. Nineteen passengers and the motorbike rider were charred to death.
“Once the bus caught fire and came to a halt, Lakshmaiah jumped out through the passenger door. He did not understand the intensity,” Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil told news agency PTI.
After leaping out, Lakshmaiah woke up the additional driver who was sleeping in the luggage compartment beneath the bus. The two men then tried to smash the window panes with a metal rod used for tyre changes, helping a few passengers escape the fire.
Some onlookers and trapped passengers also broke open more windows, but the fire soon engulfed the entire vehicle. Terrified, Lakshmaiah fled the spot before being detained by police later in the afternoon.
The bus was registered in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, though it had an all-India permit to operate in Andhra Pradesh. Police have seized documents from the travel company, including transport permits and insurance papers.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze started in the front section of the bus and spread within minutes, engulfing the vehicle before anyone could react. Twelve passengers managed to smash open the emergency exit and escape with minor burns. They were immediately taken to Kurnool Government Hospital.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has ordered a high-level probe into the incident.
“The government has constituted a high-power committee with officials from the transport, roads and revenue departments to investigate the bus fire accident,” she said while addressing a press conference. A detailed report will be submitted to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu after completion of the inquiry, the Minister added.
The state government has also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and Rs 2 lakh for those injured.
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Published By:
Sahil Sinha
Published On:
Oct 25, 2025
