India, Oct. 18 -- A state-level investigation has found that the private sleeper bus involved in the October 14 Jaisalmer fire incident, which has claimed 22 lives, was structurally unsafe, with major violations of safety standards - including blocked emergency exits and the use of highly flammable materials inside the vehicle.

"The bus company had illegally modified the vehicle. Two passenger seats were installed directly in front of the emergency exit, blocking the passage completely. The rear exit door was also undersized, preventing passengers from escaping when the fire broke out. As a result, most of the victims were trapped inside and burned alive," said the panel's head and joint transport commissioner, O.P. Bunkar

The five-memb...