A Bengaluru-bound private bus from Hyderabad caught fire in this district on Friday after colliding with a two-wheeler, leaving 12 people dead, a senior police official said.

Official sources indicated that the toll may rise. Among the deceased was the biker.

According to initial reports, the motorcycle collided with the bus near Chinnatekur in Kurnool and got dragged underneath with its fuel cap open, triggering the blaze.

“So far, 11 passengers and a biker have died. Police are entering the bus to assess the situation, and the fate of nine other passengers is yet to be ascertained,” Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen told PTI.

He added that a complete picture of casualties and survivors would emerge only after thorough investigation and identification of all those involved in the accident.

The bus door got jammed due to a short circuit and the vehicle was completely gutted within minutes. Most survivors were aged between 25 and 35 years, police further said.

District Collector A Siri said 41 people were travelling in the bus, and this included the driver.

Of the 41 onboard, 21 have been traced.

Those who escaped the accident are stable and out of danger, she said.

Many passengers could not escape the tragedy as it occurred during the night when they were asleep, she said.

She said the bus door did not open immediately as some wires got cut which increased the severity of the tragedy.