Kurnool: Investigators looking into the horrific bus fire in Andhra Pradesh that claimed 19 lives now suspect the involvement of a third vehicle in the chain of events leading up to the tragedy.

The accident occurred in the early hours of October 24 near Chinna Tekuru village in Kurnool district when a Bengaluru-bound sleeper bus belonging to Kaveri Travels ran over a motorbike that had already met with an accident on the road.

According to police, the motorbike became lodged beneath the bus and was dragged for some distance. The bike’s fuel tank cap reportedly opened, causing fuel leakage that ignited and led to the bus catching fire, engulfing it in flames within moments.

The bus was carrying 44 passengers, several of whom managed to escape through emergency exits, but 19 people lost their lives in the blaze.

Kurnool district superintendent of police Vikrant Patil told PTI that investigators have found skid marks suggesting a possible new lead. “The difference in the skid mark position of the bike indicates that another vehicle could have hit it before the bus ran over it,” Patil said.

The police are now examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and conducting forensic analysis to determine whether a third vehicle played a role in triggering the sequence of accidents.