In an incident that has raised serious safety concerns, a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus operating a tourist service under the Budget Tourism Cell was completely gutted by fire in Kottayam in the early hours of Wednesday (December 31, 2025). All 28 passengers on board escaped unhurt.
The Super Deluxe bus from the Malappuram depot was carrying a group of tourists, all natives of Malappuram, on a budget tour organised by KSRTC to Gavi in Pathanamthitta district.
Bus fires kill 64 nationwide since 2021; Karnataka sees three incidents
Passengers spot smoke
The incident occurred at Kunnathupuzha, Pazhayidam, near Manimala, while the bus was en route to Gavi via Ranni. Passengers noticed smoke billowing from the rear side of the vehicle and immediately alerted the driver. The passengers, including women and children, were immediately evacuated and were able to remove their luggage before the fire spread.
