Dozens killed in fiery bus crash in southern India
A motorcycle rammed into the bus from behind and got stuck
A passenger bus erupted into flames after a motorcycle crashed into it early on Friday, killing at least 25 people and injuring several others in southern India, police said.
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The fire tore through the bus within minutes, trapping dozens of passengers as it travelled along a highway near Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh state, senior police official Vikrant Patil said.
The bus, with 44 passengers aboard, was travelling between the cities of Hyderabad in Telangana state and Bengaluru in Karnataka state.
Most passengers are believed to have been asleep at the time of the accident.
The motorcycle rammed into the bus from behind and got stuck, Mr Patil said.
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Tragic Incident — Andhra Pradesh, india.
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) October 24, 2025
A horrific bus fire on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway in Kurnool has claimed the lives of 25 passengers, marking one of the deadliest road tragedies in recent times. pic.twitter.com/P51a7aQjZr
The motorcycle was dragged for some distance, causing sparks that engulfed the bus's fuel tank.
Footage of the incident shared online show the bus completely engulfed in flames.
Some passengers managed to smash open windows and leap to safety with minor injuries while others tragically burned to death before help could arrive, Mr Patil said.
The incident occurred in Chinnatekuru village near Kurnool, around 130 miles south of Hyderabad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his condolences to the families of those killed.