A string of deadly bus accidents in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has left communities reeling and reignited urgent calls for improved road safety measures. Over the past two weeks, a series of collisions involving both private and state-run buses has resulted in the deaths of at least 41 people and injuries to dozens more, sparking widespread concern among commuters and officials alike.
The latest incident unfolded in the early hours of November 4, 2025, in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district. According to India Today, a private bus operated by Jabbar Travels, traveling from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, rammed into a truck near Dhamajipalli in Chennakothapalle mandal. The impact was devastating: one person was killed and five others were injured. Police suspect that speeding was a factor in the crash, and the Sikepalli police have since taken possession of the bus as part of their ongoing investigation. At the time, 25 passengers were aboard the vehicle, which hit an Eicher vehicle before overturning on the highway.
Tragically, this was not an isolated case. On the same day, another private bus belonging to Bharathi Travels overturned near Jubilee Nagar in Lingapalem mandal of Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh. The bus was en route from Eluru to Hyderabad and was carrying 17 passengers when it crashed. One man, identified as V. Praveen Babu, a 25-year-old software engineer headed to Hyderabad to start a new job, lost his life in the accident. Several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Lingapalem Government Hospital for treatment. Sub-Inspector Venkanna and his team from Dharmavaram Police Station led the rescue operations at the scene, as reported by India Today.
Just hours earlier, on November 3, a catastrophic head-on collision in Telangana’s Rangareddy district claimed even more lives. A Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus, carrying over 70 passengers from Tandur to Hyderabad, collided with a speeding tipper truck laden with construction material near Mirzaguda in Chevella mandal, about 60 kilometers from Hyderabad. According to The Siasat Daily, the truck was reportedly on the wrong side of the road when it crashed into the bus. The aftermath was horrific: 19 people were confirmed dead at the scene, with several more buried under gravel and debris. Another 20 passengers were injured, some critically, and were taken to nearby hospitals for emergency care.
The frequency and severity of these accidents have sent shockwaves through the region. In a separate incident on November 4, a TSRTC bus from Metpalli Depot rammed into a paddy-laden tractor near Renigunta Bridge in Thimmapur mandal, Karimnagar district, Telangana. Fifteen passengers were injured in this crash and were promptly shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. The Siasat Daily reported that the bus was traveling from Hyderabad to Karimnagar when the accident occurred.
These back-to-back tragedies follow an even earlier disaster on October 24, 2025, near Kurnool town in Andhra Pradesh. A private bus operated by V Kaveri Travels caught fire after running over a motorbike that had been left lying on the road following a separate accident. The motorbike became lodged under the bus, and a combination of sparks and leaking fuel ignited a massive blaze. Nineteen people were burned to death in the inferno, as the flames quickly engulfed the vehicle, trapping passengers inside. This horrifying incident was detailed by The Siasat Daily.
In response to the mounting toll, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has been vocal about the need for immediate action. After the Karimnagar accident, he spoke directly with District Collector Pamela Satpathy, doctors at the government hospital, and police officials, urging them to provide the best possible treatment for the injured. He later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the series of bus accidents was "heartbreaking" and called on the state government to prioritize road safety and launch public awareness campaigns. "The state government should pay special attention to road safety and conduct special awareness programmes for the public," he stated, as reported by India Today and The Siasat Daily.
Commuters in the Telugu-speaking states are understandably anxious. The sheer number of incidents—often occurring on major highways and involving both private and government-run buses—has led many to question the adequacy of existing safety protocols. Police investigations are ongoing in each case, with authorities examining factors such as speeding, driver fatigue, vehicle maintenance, and road conditions. In the Jabbar Travels accident, for example, local police suspect that excessive speed played a key role, while in the Rangareddy collision, the truck’s presence on the wrong side of the road was a critical factor.
For families of the victims, the pain is immeasurable. V. Praveen Babu’s journey from Eluru to Hyderabad was supposed to mark the start of a promising new chapter in his life. Instead, his family and friends are left grieving a young life cut short by circumstances that, according to many, could have been prevented with stricter oversight and better road safety measures.
These tragedies are not new to the region. South India’s highways, particularly those connecting major urban centers like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kurnool, have long been prone to high-speed collisions and multi-vehicle accidents. Factors such as poor road lighting, inadequate signage, and the heavy mix of commercial and passenger vehicles contribute to the dangers. According to road safety advocates, the recent spate of accidents underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms—including stricter enforcement of speed limits, regular driver training, mandatory vehicle inspections, and public education campaigns about safe travel practices.
Officials have also highlighted the importance of prompt emergency response and better-equipped hospitals along major travel routes. In both the Eluru and Karimnagar accidents, swift action by police and medical teams helped reduce the number of fatalities, but the overall toll remains sobering.
As Andhra Pradesh and Telangana mourn the lives lost and support those still recovering, the hope is that these painful lessons will translate into lasting change. For now, commuters remain wary, and the demand for safer roads and more accountable transport operators grows louder with each new headline.
With so many lives shattered in such a short span, the call for action has never been more urgent.
