Amaravati, April 1 – The driver of a private bus that caught fire after colliding with a tipper, killing 14 passengers in Markapuram district, Andhra Pradesh, on March 26, did not have a valid driving license, police said on Wednesday.
The police also announced the arrest of the bus owner, Harikrishna Reddy, and the driver, Yuvaraj.
Both were presented to the media by the police in Markapuram. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagaraju said that the owner of the travel company had hired Yuvaraj because he would have had to pay a higher salary for employing a licensed driver.
The bus, belonging to Harikrishna Travels, was travelling from Jagtial in Telangana to Kanigiri in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district when it caught fire after a head-on collision with a tipper near Rayavaram on March 26.
Fourteen passengers were killed in the incident, while 29 others were injured.
The DSP said that Harikrishna Reddy had purchased the second-hand bus eight months ago. The vehicle was in poor condition, and despite being aware of this, he continued to operate it.
The investigation also revealed that the bus was originally scheduled to reach its destination via Vinukonda in Prakasam district. However, as the vehicle required frequent repairs during the journey, it was diverted through a national highway.
Earlier, officials of the Fire Services Department had said that the semi-sleeper bus was travelling at high speed at the time of the accident.
The bus collided with the tipper coming from the opposite direction. According to officials, the bus swerved to the right instead of the left and hit the diesel tank of the tipper. Diesel spilled from the ruptured tank, triggering the fire.
Officials said the accident occurred after the bus driver veered into the wrong lane.
According to them, the use of highly flammable material in the bus also contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
The presence of an emergency exit door helped save the lives of around 20 passengers.