At least five youth from Hyd were to attend interviews in Bengaluru

Hyderabad: With all essential permits expired, without proper safety measures, and the driver absconding after having jumped out first; it appears that all the passengers of the ill-fated bus were sitting ducks and taken for granted.

Whatever it be, all blame goes entirely to the regulatory authorities and reckless operators of the private travels firm. The main driver who had jumped out just in time remains at large, while the second driver, hospitalized, did try to assist shocked passengers during the inferno. Among the victims were five young Hyderabad residents proceeding to Bengaluru for job interviews.

Jayant Kushwaha, 27, originally from Madhya Pradesh and a survivor, was traveling with a friend, Ashwin Reddy, back to Bangalore for an interview after visiting home for Diwali. Surya, 24, also from Hyderabad and a survivor, too attending the interview and criticized the bus as “old, overcrowded, and lacking emergency exits or stops for toilet breaks”.

Tragically, three others going for interviews, Yuvan Shankar Raja, 22, Kishore Kumar, and Anusha, lost their lives. The bodies of a woman Sandhya Rani and her daughter Chandana were charred beyond immediate identification; DNA tests are underway. Enquiries revealed glaring violations of safety norms, including the fact that fitness, insurance, tax, pollution certificates, and other key permits had all expired over a year back.