Goa, Oct. 27 -- The devastating bus fire in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool, which has claimed at least 20 lives, has exposed glaring lapses in India's road safety and licensing system. Investigations have revealed a chain of violations - from a driver with fake credentials to negligent vehicle renovation practices - that culminated in the deadly tragedy.
Police have arrested Miriyala Lakshmaiah, the driver of the ill-fated double-decker bus. Investigators discovered that Lakshmaiah, who had studied only up to Class 5, managed to secure a heavy vehicle licence using a forged Class 10 certificate.
Under existing regulations, anyone applying for a transport vehicle licence must have completed at least Class 8 education. However, this rule is often...