DNA test confirms Kuppam man’s death in Kurnool bus fire
A week-long wait filled with anguish ended in tragedy for a family from Kuppam constituency after DNA tests confirmed that one of the unidentified victims of the recent Kurnool bus fire was 58-year-old quarry businessman Trimurthi from Yamagaanipalle village in Gudupalle mandal.
Tirupati: A week-long wait filled with anguish ended in tragedy for a family from Kuppam constituency after DNA tests confirmed that one of the unidentified victims of the recent Kurnool bus fire was 58-year-old quarry businessman Trimurthi from Yamagaanipalle village in Gudupalle mandal.
Trimurthi, who had travelled to Hyderabad to attend a relative’s wedding, was returning home on the ill-fated private travels bus that caught fire near Kurnool. His identity was confirmed on Sunday, bringing devastating closure to his family, who had been clinging to hope since the horrific accident.
According to family members, Trimurthi had taken a train from Kuppam to Bengaluru on October 22 and then boarded a private travels bus to Hyderabad. After attending the wedding on October 23, he began his return journey the same night.
Before leaving Hyderabad, he made a WhatsApp video call to his daughter Chaitanya, who lives in Chennai, informing her that he was on his way home. He also spoke to Nagaraju, a taxi driver from Kuppam, asking him to wait at Bangarupet by 7.30 am the next morning. But when Nagaraju reached the spot, there was no sign of Trimurthi. Repeated attempts by the family to reach him went unanswered as his phone had been switched off.
It was only later that the family learnt about a bus accident near Kurnool involving a vehicle from the same travels company. For two days, they visited hospitals and mortuaries hoping to find him alive. Eventually, Kurnool police suspected that one of the unrecognised bodies could be his.
Police officials collected CCTV footage, travel details, and DNA samples to confirm the identity. His son Kalyan Bharat, who works in Hyderabad, provided his DNA sample, which matched with the remains. The confirmation brought an end to days of uncertainty but plunged the family into grief.
Trimurthi is survived by his wife Vasanthamma, son Kalyan Bharat, and daughter Chaitanya. The family is mourning the loss of a devoted husband and father who left home on what was supposed to be a short family trip but never returned.
