Road safety crisis
Amaravati
At least four major bus accidents have occurred in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana within a short span, raising serious concerns about passenger safety and road conditions.
One of the deadliest incidents took place near Kurnool on October 24, 2025, when a private bus caught fire, killing 19 passengers, including two children.
The bus, operated by a private tour company, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru with 46 people on board when the accident occurred near Chinnatekur village. While 19 passengers were charred to death, 27 others managed to escape by breaking the bus windows.
Investigations later revealed that the bus ran over a motorcycle that had fallen on the road after an earlier crash. The bike had collided with a road divider, killing the rider on the spot. As the bus dragged the motorcycle for nearly 200 meters, friction and leaking fuel triggered a massive fire, which quickly engulfed the vehicle.
Authorities identified the deceased motorcyclist as B. Shiva Shankar, while his companion fled the scene in panic after sustaining minor injuries. Police subsequently arrested the bus driver and the owner of the travel company, booking them on charges of negligence leading to death.
In another major accident on November 3, 2025, a collision between a bus and a tipper truck in Rangareddy district claimed 19 lives and left 24 injured. The truck, carrying gravel, crashed into a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus travelling towards Hyderabad from Tandur.
The impact of the collision was severe, with passengers seated in the front rows bearing the brunt. Several victims were crushed under the gravel as the truck pierced into the bus. Both drivers lost their lives in the accident, and the deceased included women and even a 10-month-old infant.
The recent Markapuram tragedy has intensified calls for stricter enforcement of road safety measures, improved vehicle maintenance standards, and better emergency response systems to prevent further loss of life.
