Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh): The charred remains of 18 people killed in the devastating bus fire near Kurnool have been handed over to their families following DNA identification, officials said on Sunday.
DNA Tests Completed; Families Receive Remains and Certificates
Authorities at the Government General Hospital (GGH), Kurnool, completed DNA testing over the past two days to identify the victims. The remains, along with death certificates, were handed over to relatives under the supervision of District Collector A. Siri.
Ambulances were arranged to transport the bodies to their respective hometowns.
According to officials, the remains of six victims each were handed over to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, two each to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and one each to Odisha and Bihar.
The body of one unidentified passenger remains preserved at the hospital. A man from Chittoor district has approached the police claiming his father might be among the victims, and another DNA test will be conducted to confirm the identity.
Accident Details: Bus Catches Fire After Hitting Motorcycle
The private bus, operated by V Kaveri Travels, was carrying 46 passengers, including two drivers, from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when tragedy struck near Chinnatekur village on the outskirts of Kurnool between 3 and 3:15 a.m. on Sunday.
While 19 passengers, including two children, were charred to death, 27 others, including both drivers, escaped by breaking glass windows.
A police investigation revealed that the bus ran over a motorcycle lying on the road after its rider crashed into a divider. The bus dragged the bike for about 200 metres, and the friction combined with fuel leakage from the motorcycle triggered a massive fire that quickly engulfed the vehicle.
Police Identify and Arrest Bike’s Pillion Rider
Police concluded that the bike rider, B. Shiva Shankar (22), died instantly after hitting the divider, while his friend Erriswamy alias Nani, who was riding pillion, suffered minor injuries and fled the scene in panic after seeing the bus in flames.
CCTV footage from a nearby petrol pump captured both men shortly before the accident. Based on the footage, police arrested Erriswamy from his native village, Tuggali.
During interrogation, Erriswamy told police that Shiva Shankar was intoxicated, leading to the crash. As he tried to move the damaged bike from the middle of the road, the speeding bus hit the motorcycle, resulting in the fire that killed 19 passengers.
Legal Action Underway
Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) based on a complaint filed by one of the passengers.
Bus driver Miriyala Lakshmaiah and V Kaveri Travels owner Vemuri Vinod Kumar have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Authorities have described the incident as one of the worst bus fire tragedies in recent years in Andhra Pradesh.