Kaveri Travels Bus Had 16 Traffic Violations Before Andhra Inferno Killed 20

The ill-fated Kaveri Travels bus that went up in flames near Chinnatekuru on Friday, killing at least 20 passengers, had a long record of traffic violations despite holding valid permits, fitness, and insurance documents.

The Scania bus (Reg. No. DD01N9490), owned by Vemuri Kaveri Travels and operated by Vemuri Vinod Kumar of Rayagada, Odisha, was purchased on May 2, 2018, and initially registered in Daman and Diu before being re-registered with Rayagada RTO on April 29, 2025.

Records show the vehicle held a base tourist permit issued by Odisha authorities (valid May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2030) and an All India Tourist Permit (AITP) from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, valid till July 31, 2026.
Its fitness certificate, issued in Silvassa, is valid till March 31, 2027, while road tax has been paid up to March 31, 2026. The bus was insured with New India Assurance Company Ltd., valid till April 20, 2026.

However, transport department officials revealed that the vehicle had 16 traffic challans in Telangana, totaling ₹23,000 in unpaid fines.

Preliminary investigation suggests the fire erupted after the bus collided with a motorcycle, triggering an explosion in the fuel tank, which engulfed the vehicle within minutes.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a high-level probe into the incident.