Andhra bus fire: Vehicle had 16 challans for traffic violations
What's the story
The Kaveri Travels bus that caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district, killing at least 20 passengers, had a long history of traffic violations. The vehicle, which was headed to Bengaluru from Hyderabad, had 16 challans for traffic violations in Telangana worth ₹23,000 for offenses including overspeeding, dangerous driving, and wrong-side driving. It was also fined for entering no-entry zones (nine times) and unauthorized parking, as well as disobedience of orders and failure to carry a driving license.
Vehicle details
Details of bus that caught fire
The bus, a Scania model with registration number DD01N9490, was owned by Vemuri Kaveri Travels and operated by Vemuri Vinod Kumar of Rayagada, Odisha. It was purchased on May 2, 2018, and registered in Daman and Diu on August 8 of the same year. The vehicle was re-registered with Rayagada RTO on April 29, 2025, documents accessed by TOI showed.
Incident overview
Bus caught fire after 2-wheeler collided with it
Per reports, the bus fire incident occurred near Chinnatekuru after a two-wheeler collided with the vehicle, dragging it underneath and hitting the fuel tank. This resulted in an immediate explosion, and flames quickly spread throughout the vehicle. Per PTI, the fuel cap of the two-wheeler was also open. While about 12 passengers managed to escape before the fire spread, several others were trapped inside due to a jammed door caused by a short circuit.
Drivers
Drivers on run
Except for two or three people, all passengers were asleep when the fire broke out. Those who were awake or awoke after the crash were able to escape by shattering the windows. The majority of survivors are believed to be between the ages of 25 and 35. The bus drivers fled the scene immediately after the accident. Police teams have initiated a search for them and filed a case.