Andhra Pradesh bus mishap: One of the five survivors critical

HYDERABAD: The condition of one of the five passengers, who managed to escape from the burning bus in which 45 people were charred to death in Mahbubnagar, is critical.

The five passengers, who escaped with burn injuries, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital here.

Yogesh Gowda, a golf coach, who suffered 45 per cent overall burns besides respiratory tract injuries in the blaze, is critical but stable, hospital sources here said.

The four others, who received burn injuries of varying degrees, are recovering. One among them is doing good but he complained of ankle pain this morning as he had jumped out of the private travel bus.

Meanwhile, three bodies have been handed over to their relatives so far.

The authorities are conducting DNA tests before handing over the bodies to their kin, sources said.

Forty-five passengers, including a baby girl, were burnt alive and seven others suffered burns when the fuel tank of the private luxury bus exploded after the bus hit a culvert near Palem on the Bangalore-Hyderabad national highway.

Stirred by the massive tragedy, transport department officials are conducting checks since morning on private buses at various places in the state for violations of any rules.