6-Year-Old Girl Among Four Of Family Killed In Kurnool Bus Fire Tragedy

New Delhi: Four members of a family, including a six-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy, were killed after a Bengaluru-bound bus from Hyderabad caught fire following a collision with a motorcycle.

According to Kurnool District Collector Dr A. Siri, the accident took place around 3 am when the bus hit a motorcycle, triggering a fuel leak that led to a massive fire. Of the 41 passengers aboard the bus, 20 died.

The deceased minors have been identified as six-year-old Manvita and eight-year-old Yashwanth, children of Golla Ramesh (35) and Anusha (32). The family belonged to Gollavaripalli in Nellore district and were settled in Bengaluru.

The two-wheeler rider, Sivashankar (20), a resident of Prajanagar, died on the spot after the bus reportedly dragged his motorcycle for more than 300 metres following the collision.

Eleven bodies have been identified so far, and efforts are on to identify the rest. Officials confirmed that the luxury bus was being operated by Kaveri Private Travels.

The Transport Department said the bus was registered in Rayagada district of Odisha, not Telangana. There were multiple e-challans worth Rs 23,000 against the bus in Telangana for several traffic violations, including that of overspeeding. Telangana authorities have assured full cooperation in the ongoing investigation and relief measures.

Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene, saying the fire spread within seconds, leaving passengers with almost no time to react. Reports suggest that the main door got jammed, forcing several passengers to break open window panes and jump out to save themselves. Around 10 passengers who managed to escape have suffered serious burn injuries and are receiving treatment.

Transport Minister Ram Prasad Reddy, speaking to Republic over the phone, confirmed that 20 deaths have been verified so far at the government hospital.

Read More: Hyderabad-Bengaluru Bus Gutted Near Kurnool, 18 Charred To Death