Bangalore-to-Hyderabad bus catches fire, 42 dead

As many as 42 passengers were burnt alive early Wednesday when a bus caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Mahabubnagar district, police said.

A private bus coming to Hyderabad from Bangalore caught fire after hitting a culvert around 4.20 a.m. near Palem in Kottakota mandal of Mahabubnagar district, about 150 km from here.
Seven passengers, including the driver and a cleaner, managed to escape. They were shifted to a hospital.
Flames engulfed the bus within no time as the diesel tanker burst after hitting the culvert, a police official said quoting eye witnesses.
There was no clarity yet on the exact number of passengers onboard the ill-fated bus. The police said 42 people were killed and seven were injured, but according to driver, the Volvo air-conditioned bus, belonging to Jabbar Travels, was carrying 49 passengers.
Superintendent of Police Nagendra Kumar, who visited the spot, said a list of only 29 passengers was received from the private bus operator. Other passengers are believed have boarded the bus at Hindupur and Anantapur.