Kurnool bus fire: V Kaveri travels owner Vemuri Vinod Kumar arrested, gets bail
Vinod Kumar, named as accused number two in the FIR, was arrested on Friday and was later granted bail by a local court
By - Sistla Dakshina Murthy
File Photo
Kurnool: Two weeks after a devastating bus fire near Kurnool killed 19 passengers, the owner of the private travel agency has been arrested in connection with the tragedy.
Vemuri Vinod Kumar, owner of V Kaveri Travels, named as accused number two in the FIR, was arrested on Friday and produced before a court. He was later granted bail by a local court.
Bus driver Miriyala Lakshmaiah, accused number one, is already in judicial custody. Both face charges under Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 125(a) and 106(1) for causing death by rash or negligent act.
Bus violations under scrutiny
The bus, operating between Telangana and Karnataka through Andhra Pradesh, was originally registered in Daman and Diu in 2018 and re-registered in Odisha this year. Authorities revealed that the bus had been illegally converted from a seating coach to a sleeper coach, violating safety regulations.
Owner Arrested, Granted Bail
Kurnool Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Koya Praveen said that V. Vinod Kumar, owner of V. Kaveri Travels, was arrested and produced before a local court, which later granted him bail. The DIG said that Kumar was booked under Sections 105 and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, along with multiple violations of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act. The court considered arguments that the offences were compoundable under the MV Act before granting bail.
Horrific accident claims 19 lives
The bus, carrying 46 passengers including two drivers, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when the accident occurred near Chinnatekur village on October 24.
Nineteen passengers, including two children, died after the bus caught fire, while 27 others, including the drivers, escaped by breaking the glass windows.
Victims were from Andhra Pradesh (7), Telangana (6), Karnataka (2), Tamil Nadu (2), Odisha (1), and Bihar (1).
Drunk motorcyclist triggers tragedy
Investigations showed that the bus collided with a motorcycle lying on the road after the rider, 22-year-old B. Shiva Shankar, reportedly drunk, skidded into a road divider.
The bus dragged the motorcycle for about 200 meters, causing fuel leakage and friction that ignited the fire. Shiva Shankar died on the spot, while his friend Erriswamy alias Nani, riding pillion, escaped with minor injuries and fled the scene in panic.
CCTV footage helps identify witness
Police traced Erriswamy through CCTV footage at a nearby petrol pump minutes before the accident. He was later arrested from his native village, Tuggali, in Kurnool district, and revealed details about the bike and how the accident unfolded.
