The Hyderabad–Bengaluru bus fire tragedy has taken a new turn after police arrested the main driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, on Saturday, October 25. Lakshmaiah, who initially fled the scene following the fatal incident in Kurnool district, was found to have obtained his heavy vehicle driving license using fake educational certificates. Investigators revealed that despite studying only up to the fifth grade, he had submitted forged documents showing he failed tenth grade to meet RTA’s minimum eligibility criteria. His arrest has raised serious questions about the licensing system and the lax verification procedures that allow unqualified drivers to operate public transport vehicles.

Police sources confirmed that Lakshmaiah had a history of reckless driving — in 2004, he crashed a lorry into a tree, killing the cleaner onboard, while he survived. This troubling background adds weight to the negligence angle being probed in the current case. The bus fire, which occurred early Friday near Ulindakonda on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway, claimed 20 lives, including the motorcyclist who collided with the vehicle. The bus, belonging to V Kaveri Travels, was carrying 44 passengers when flames engulfed the front section moments after a loud explosion was heard, as described by survivor N. Ramesh in his police complaint.

Following the tragedy, a case was registered at Ulindakonda Police Station under Sections 125(a) (endangering human life) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Kurnool SP Vikrant Patel confirmed that forensic teams and transport authorities are now examining how Lakshmaiah obtained his license and whether others were complicit in issuing it. The incident has exposed glaring loopholes in transport regulation and highlighted the urgent need for stricter checks on bus operators and drivers. As families of the victims await DNA profiling to identify remains, the investigation has turned into a broader inquiry into corruption and systemic failure within the regional transport system.