Overview
- Near Rayavaram in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning, a private bus struck a tipper truck and burst into flames, with officials later putting the toll at 13 dead and about two dozen injured as some outlets reported 14 deaths and 27 injuries.
- Police said the bus hit the lorry’s diesel tank and fire trapped passengers, and a preliminary probe points to the bus entering the wrong lane as the driver’s claim of a stuck steering wheel remains under review.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh for each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered a formal probe, opened control rooms for families, and announced state relief of Rs 5 lakh for the dead and Rs 2 lakh for the severely injured.
- In a separate crash in Delhi after Tuesday night, a Jaipur–Delhi sleeper bus flipped near Karol Bagh, killing two and injuring about 23, as passengers alleged speeding, drunken driving, and a jammed emergency exit that police dispute while detaining the 26-year-old driver.
- Victims in the Andhra blaze included a five‑month‑old and several construction workers, and in Delhi one victim was a 22‑year‑old groom‑to‑be, sharpening focus on night bus safety, vehicle upkeep at quarry bends, and past bus modifications and registrations now flagged for scrutiny.