• At least 20 people died in a bus fire incident in Andhra Pradesh after a collision with a motorcycle.
• A second, earlier incident in Rajasthan resulted in 26 fatalities from a short circuit.
• Survivors reported difficulty escaping due to jammed doors during the Kurnool disaster.
• Calls for stricter safety regulations in public transport have intensified following these tragedies.

On a recent tragic Friday in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, at least 20 fatalities occurred when a Kaveri Travels bus caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle. Passengers reported that the bus became engulfed in flames within minutes, leaving many trapped inside. According to preliminary investigations, the collision ruptured the motorcycle's fuel tank, igniting a fierce blaze that spread rapidly due to combustible materials in the vehicle. Authorities noted that the bus lacked sufficient safety features to handle such emergencies, with the fuel tank remaining intact during the incident, leading to a high death toll. Survivors managed to escape only through windows as the bus doors jammed shut, preventing any other exits, reports cite senior police officials and eyewitness accounts according to IndiaTimes, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

In a similar incident that occurred days earlier in Rajasthan, a bus caught fire due to a short circuit, resulting in the deaths of 26 passengers. This raises the overall death toll from recent bus fires in India to at least 46 within the span of nine days. In this case, investigations revealed that the fire spread from the air-conditioning system, igniting flammable materials inside the bus. Survivors described how rapidly the fire took hold, preventing most from escaping. Eyewitness accounts indicate that prominent officials, including President Droupadi Murmu, expressed condolences for the victims and emphasized the need for enhanced safety in bus travel, according to IndiaTimes and BBC.

The alarming recurrence of these incidents has reignited discussions on the dire need for enforcement of safety protocols in India's public transport sector. Experts are calling for immediate action to ensure that buses are equipped with functional emergency exits, fire-retardant materials, and regular safety inspections. The horrific nature of these tragedies serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities associated with bus travel in India, highlighting an urgent need for systemic changes to ensure passenger safety, according to IndiaTimes, Al Jazeera, and BBC.