Nearly 20 passengers charred to death as Kaveri Travels bus catches fire near Kurnool.
New Delhi: Dr. K. A. Paul voiced deep anguish over the Kurnool bus fire that claimed close to 20 lives after a Kaveri Travels vehicle on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru route caught fire. Around 12 passengers escaped, but several sustained severe burns.
Calling the incident “heartbreaking,” Dr. Paul offered condolences to the victims’ families and prayers for those injured. He questioned how many more such tragedies must occur before authorities act decisively.
Dr. Paul demanded the immediate arrest of Kaveri Travels owner, Vemuri Vinod Kumar, and called for the grounding of all Kaveri buses until a complete safety audit is conducted. He urged that officials who failed in their duty be suspended, holding them equally responsible for negligence that leads to loss of life.
Highlighting repeated accidents and the lack of effective enforcement, Dr. Paul criticized the token compensation offered after such disasters, saying that human life cannot be reduced to a few lakh rupees. He called upon the government to introduce and pass a strict transport safety bill in Parliament, ensuring accountability for vehicle owners, drivers, RTO officials, and ministers.
Dr. Paul also appealed for stronger penalties and larger compensations, demanding at least ₹1 crore for each family that lost a loved one and ₹25 lakh for those injured — to be paid by the transport company responsible.
He reiterated that only when owners, drivers, and officials are held accountable will the cycle of negligence and loss stop. Dr. Paul urged the media and citizens to share his message widely to build public pressure for legislative reform and prevent future tragedies.
