In the early hours of October 24, 2025, a horrifying accident near Chinnatekur village in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, turned an ordinary intercity journey into one of the deadliest road tragedies in recent memory. A private sleeper bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru went up in flames after colliding with a motorcycle, killing at least 20 people, including 19 passengers and the biker. The accident, as subsequent investigations revealed, was not just the result of bad luck—it was a deadly mix of forged qualifications, negligence, and reckless behavior on the road.
According to police reports, the bus operated by Kaveri Travels was carrying 41 passengers and two drivers. The tragedy began when a motorcyclist, later identified as B. Shiva Shankar, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, lost control of his bike on a wet stretch of the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway. His motorcycle skidded and fell directly in the path of the bus. Unable to swerve in time, the bus ran over the bike, dragging it underneath for several meters. Sparks from the friction, combined with leaked petrol from the bike’s ruptured fuel tank, triggered an inferno that consumed the vehicle within minutes.
Survivors described scenes of horror and chaos. Many passengers were asleep when the fire broke out, leaving them trapped inside as flames spread rapidly. Those seated near the front managed to break windows and jump out, but most others had no escape. The bus’s emergency exit system failed to function, and passengers claimed there were no fire extinguishers onboard. Rescue workers arrived swiftly, but by then, the bus was a burning shell.
As investigators dug deeper, more disturbing facts emerged. The bus driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, was found to have obtained his heavy vehicle licence using forged educational documents. Despite only studying up to Class 5, he had presented a fake Class 10 certificate to qualify for a commercial driving licence. The revelation sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the state’s licensing and verification system. Authorities have since arrested the driver and launched a probe into the network that allegedly facilitated fake licences.
The tragedy also exposed the reckless indifference of the motorcyclist, who had reportedly been drinking before the crash and was riding without a functioning headlight. His actions set off a chain reaction that ultimately cost dozens of innocent lives. Investigators confirmed that the fuel from his motorcycle was the primary cause of the explosion that engulfed the bus.
Experts say the incident underscores multiple systemic failures — from weak enforcement of road-safety laws and corruption in the transport department to poor vehicle safety standards. Many private buses on Indian highways operate with minimal compliance checks, outdated safety systems, and inadequately trained drivers. Despite repeated calls for reform after similar tragedies in the past, the same issues continue to claim lives year after year.
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a full inquiry into the accident, with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressing deep grief and ordering a statewide inspection of private travel buses. Ex-gratia payments have been promised to the victims’ families, and the transport department has launched a special drive to verify driver credentials and ensure compliance with safety norms.
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of how negligence, corruption, and indiscipline on the roads can converge to devastating effect. A drunk biker, an unqualified driver, a poorly maintained bus, and weak oversight together created a disaster that could—and should—have been prevented. Unless the government acts decisively to plug these systemic gaps, the Chinnatekur inferno will remain not just a tragedy, but a symbol of how complacency can kill.