25 feared dead in India bus fire

At least 25 people were feared dead after a sleeper bus ferrying 42 passengers caught fire on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Highway in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district in the wee hours of Friday. The bus was crossing the Chinnatekur village in the district when it hit a motorcycle before erupting into flames.

According to fire brigade officials, the fire has been extinguished, and cooling operations are underway. Following this, the exact number of casualties will be ascertained. Till now, 15 people from the bus have been shifted to a hospital. According to eyewitnesses, 25 bodies have been pulled out from the charred remains of the bus, reports Indian TV.

The bus belonged to an agency named Kaleshwaram Travels. Police said a total of 42 people were on board, including the driver and the assistant, at the time of the fire incident.

CM Chandrababu Naidu, Jagan Reddy express grief

Reacting to the bus fire incident, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief towards those who have lost their family members in the accident while assuring all possible help to the victims and their families. 

"I am shocked to learn about the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Government authorities will extend all possible support to the injured and affected families," he wrote in a post on X.

The chief minister has spoken to the state chief secretary and other officials to learn the details of the incident and directed all senior officials to rush to the spot and take part in the rescue operations. He also instructed them to provide all necessary assistance to the injured and the victims, and to take immediate steps to prevent the death toll from rising, sources said.

Former chief minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy too expressed deep shock and grief over the tragic accident in which several passengers were burnt alive when a private travels bus caught fire near Chinnatekur on the outskirts of Kurnool.

In a statement, Jagan said the incident, involving a bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, was extremely distressing and has deeply shaken him. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the horrific accident.