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In less than a month, two horrific bus fires in India have claimed over 45 lives and left dozens injured, exposing once again the safety lapses and vulnerability of long-distance private buses. Both incidents, involving air-conditioned sleeper coaches packed with passengers, occurred during the early hours — when most travellers were asleep — turning routine overnight journeys into scenes of devastation.
Also read: Kurnool bus fire LIVE updates
On October 24, 2025, tragedy struck near Chinnatekuru village in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, when a private luxury bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after colliding with a motorbike around 3.30 a.m. The bus was carrying around 40 passengers.
Earlier this month, a similar horror unfolded in Rajasthan, when an air-conditioned sleeper bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village. The overloaded private bus, carrying 57 passengers, burst into flames, killing 20 people and injuring 16 others.
The two incidents, occurring just weeks apart, have renewed calls for stricter enforcement of safety norms, regular inspection of private bus fleets, and better emergency response mechanisms on highways.
Here are the similar major incidents reported in recent times:
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