AP bus mishap: One of the five survivors critical

Yogesh Gowda,a golf coach,who suffered 45 per cent overall burns besides respiratory tract injuries in the blaze,is critical but stable,hospital sources here said.

The four others,who received burn injuries of varying degrees,are recovering. One among them is doing good but he complained of ankle pain this morning as he had jumped out of the private travel Photos: bus.

Meanwhile,three bodies have been handed over to their relatives so far.

The authorities are conducting DNA tests before handing over the bodies of victims to their kin,sources said.

Forty-five passengers,including a baby girl,were burnt alive and seven others suffered burns when the fuel tank of the private luxury bus exploded after the bus hit a culvert near Palem on the Bangalore-Hyderabad national highway.

Stirred by the massive tragedy,transport department officials are conducting checks since morning on private buses at various places in the state for violations of any rules.