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Kurnool Bus Fire: Owner Arrested, Granted Bail as Probe Flags Safety Violations

Investigators cite unsafe alterations that blocked emergency exits on the sleeper coach.

Overview

  • Police arrested Vemuri Vinod Kumar on November 7 and produced him before a special mobile court, which granted him bail.
  • Kumar was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 105 and 106 along with multiple Motor Vehicles Act offences, according to police.
  • Investigators say owner-made structural changes converted the vehicle into a sleeper coach and obstructed emergency exits, breaching fire-safety norms.
  • The October 24 collision on NH44 near Chinnatekur led to a blaze that killed 19 passengers and injured several others, including four critically.
  • Police report the fire likely started after a motorcycle with its fuel cap open was dragged beneath the bus, and the driver, Miriyala Lakshmaiah, was arrested on October 28.