Overview
- Police say a motorcycle already down on the highway was run over by the Kaveri Travels coach, with leaking petrol and friction likely igniting the blaze as a hydraulic door jammed.
- Officials confirm 23 people, including two drivers, escaped while at least 19 bodies were recovered, many charred beyond recognition, prompting DNA-based identification.
- Investigators are examining whether flammable interior materials and inadequate safety equipment accelerated the fire and hindered evacuation.
- One driver fled after the crash and is being sought, the second is in custody assisting the probe, and a negligence and overspeeding case has been registered under BNS provisions.
- Relief includes Rs 2 lakh for each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PMNRF, with Andhra Pradesh announcing additional compensation, as forensic teams collect samples from relatives of most victims.