Markapuram bus fire case: Driver didn’t have valid driving licence

Vijayawada: The driver of the private travels bus, which caught fire after colliding with a tipper claiming 14 lives near Markapuram on Mar 26, does not have a valid driving licence, police said on Wednesday. Markapuram DSP U Nagaraju said bus owner Harikrishna Reddy, who has been taken into custody along with bus driver Yuvaraj, hired him despite knowing that he did not possess a valid driving licence, primarily to avoid paying higher wages to experienced drivers. "This was a clear case of cost-cutting at the expense of passenger safety," he said.Investigations further revealed that the bus, purchased second-hand eight months ago, was in poor mechanical condition. Despite repeated breakdowns during the journey, the vehicle continued operating. Originally scheduled to travel via Vinukonda, the route was diverted towards Markapuram through a national highway due to frequent repairs.The ill-fated bus, belonging to Harikrishna Travels, was en route from Jagtial in Telangana to Kaligiri in Nellore district when it collided with the tipper near Rayavaram, triggering a fire in which 14 passengers were charred to death while 29 others sustained injuries.