Kurnool bus fire: How a bike skid led to a deadly crash

Tragedy struck late Thursday near Kurnool when a passenger bus collided with a motorcycle, killing 19 people and injuring many others. The pillion rider recounted how the bike skidded moments before the crash, and how the bus driver tried to slow down but could not fully avoid the collision, after which the vehicle burst into flames.

Police say the bus left a nearby petrol pump around 2:26 am and was travelling about 3 kilometers to Chinna Tekuru when the rider on the bike lost control and rammed the road divider. The bus then dragged the bike into the path of the vehicle, leading to the fire. CCTV footage has aided investigators in identifying the rider and reconstructing the sequence of events.

Survivor Erri Swamy, who was riding as the pillion on the motorcycle, told police he realized his friend was dead and dragged the body off the road. He said two other buses had passed by before the Kaveri Travels bus but managed to avoid the bike. Swamy escaped with minor injuries after being hurled over a two-foot-high railing into nearby bushes.

The bus driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, was taken into custody and told investigators he was traveling at between 80 and 90 kmph when he suddenly saw the bike, couldn’t control the bus, and continued driving, not realizing the bike was trapped beneath. Police have conducted scene reconstruction and are probing all angles.

Authorities say the toll stands at 19 dead, with several others reported injured. Investigations continue to determine whether speed, driver vigilance, or other factors contributed to the tragedy, and what safety measures might prevent similar crashes in the future.

Cover image source: How bike skidded, rider died, bus caught fire: Key clues emerge in Kurnool tragedy that killed 20 🔗

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