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I wouldn’t person made it if that exigency model hadn’t opened, said 27-year-old Jayant Kushwaha, 1 of the passengers who escaped live from the burning luxury autobus that caught occurrence adjacent Chinnatekuru colony successful Kurnool territory aboriginal connected Friday, October 24, 2025.
Over 25 passengers were reportedly charred to decease and respective others injured erstwhile the backstage autobus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru went up successful flames aft a collision.
Speaking to The Hindu from astir 10 kilometres extracurricular Kurnool, Jayant recounted the terrifying moments wrong the AC sleeper manager carrying astir 42 people, including the driver.
Kurnool autobus mishap LIVE updates
“I was travelling alone, heading backmost to enactment successful Bengaluru,” helium said. “My household lives successful Hyderabad. I had travel location for Diwali connected the 20th of October and was expected to enactment longer, but I near aboriginal to be a friend’s wedding successful Bengaluru connected Sunday.”
He said the autobus had its past washroom interruption astir 12:30 am. “At astir 2:30 am, the autobus abruptly came to a halt. I didn’t realise what was happening astatine first. There was panic everyplace arsenic radical began to aftermath up. It was past we saw the fire. The main doorway was jammed.”
Passengers aboriginal learnt that the operator had rammed into a two-wheeler and dragged the rider nether the vehicle, triggering the blaze. “The beforehand and near broadside of the autobus caught fire. When the main doorway didn’t open, I went for the rear exigency exit. With a batch of effort, punching, hitting it with my enarthrosis and head, we managed to interruption the model successful the back, which was astir 8 oregon 9 feet supra the ground. I threw my carry-on container which had my laptop retired and jumped. Around 9 oregon 10 others jumped too. Many sustained injuries arsenic they landed. The operator who caused the clang escaped, arsenic did the 2nd driver. Around 19 oregon 20 of america survived,” helium said.
Jayant said by astir 9.30 a.m., astir eleven passengers were taken to hospital, portion a fewer others with insignificant injuries hitchhiked towards Hyderabad oregon Bengaluru. “The ambulance and occurrence trucks came aft astir an hour, astir 2:30 oregon 3 am. Thankfully, a policewoman who happened to beryllium passing by successful her backstage conveyance stopped and called for help. The occurrence was yet enactment retired by astir 4:30 am. We gave our statements to the police.”
He said helium did not instantly telephone his family. “After everything was over, I called location and told them. My begetter was astir to permission for Indore by train. He asked if helium should cancel the trip. They were worried. I wasn’t earnestly injured, conscionable a fewer bruises connected my hand. Initially I lone told my dada due to the fact that my mum would person panicked,” helium said.
Jayant, who often travels betwixt Hyderabad and Bengaluru, said helium had utilized the aforesaid autobus work galore times. “Maybe the autobus was old,” helium added. “It looked old. The exigency window, the driver’s cabin, everything was jammed.”
Passengers seated down the operator aboriginal told him that the operator initially tried to douse the flames utilizing soil but yet fled the scene. “The 2nd operator was taken to the infirmary for treatment,” helium said.
