'Drunk drivers, fake certificates': Kurnool bus tragedy exposes deep flaws that led to 20 deaths

The deadly bus fire in Kurnool that claimed 20 lives has revealed a troubling mix of negligence, fake documents as well as safety violations.

Investigators have found that the driver of the double-decker bus, Miriyala Lakshmaiah, was operating with a fake Class 10 certificate, despite having studied only till Class 5. Under existing transport rules, a person must have studied at least up to Class 8 to be eligible for a heavy vehicle licence.

The events that led to the fire incident involving the bus began with a separate accident on the highway near Chinna Tekuru. Two men on a motorcycle, identified as Shiva Shankar and Erri Swami, met with a crash after their bike hit a divider.

Shankar died on the spot, while Swami sustained injuries. Moments later, a bus ran over the fallen bike, dra