October 25, 2025

Diwali this year became a nightmare for many families. On the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway, a private bus returning from Diwali celebrations suddenly caught fire around 3 pm after a crash involving a two-wheeler. In just seconds, fiery orange and yellow flames swallowed the bus, killing 20 people instantly. Many passengers were asleep and died without even knowing what hit them. The thick smoke and heat were so fierce that the bus was reduced to a burnt skeleton, with victims charred beyond recognition. Panicked passengers smashed windows with laptops, phones, and even their own elbows to escape the fiery trap, according to TOI's Yashaswini Sri. The bus door was jammed, trapping many inside as the fire spread quickly. Flammable materials like beddings and curtains made the blaze worse. Among the scary survivors was 36-year-old Nelakurthi Ramesh. "When I woke up, all I could see was flames - bright yellow and orange. I could barely breathe. My first thought was my wife and children; I knew I had to get them out safely," he said. Ramesh broke the rear window with his bare fists, helping his family escape before collapsing and waking up later in hospital. Another passenger, Ghantasala Subramanyam, woke after being shaken by fellow travelers. "It took me a moment to process the fire," he said. When the main door jammed, he jumped out through a broken window with 10 others. A kind stranger on the same route then rushed Subramanyam and others to the hospital. Jayanth Kushwal, aged 27, recalled the chaos: "People frantically smashed windows, glass shards everywhere. It was terrifying." Naveen Kumar, 26, lost his left leg in the chaos and still struggles with guilt while escaping. Police confirmed the tragedy happened because the bus door was jammed by a short circuit. The Andhra Pradesh government announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the victims’ families and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. The Telangana government set up a helpline for relatives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow, tweeting, "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh." He also announced Rs 2 lakh aid to families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for injured passengers. This Diwali, instead of sweets and lights, pain and despair shadow families who lost their loved ones in an accident that turned a festive journey into a blazing tragedy.

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Tags: Bus fire, Bengaluru-hyderabad highway, Andhra pradesh, Kurnool accident, Diwali tragedy, Fire escape,