Tipsy biker is the main villain behind bus blaze tragedy: Cops

Hyderabad: The fatal bus accident near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, which claimed 19 lives, has been conclusively linked to a drunken biker, according to forensic analysis and police investigations. The two-wheeler rider, B Shiva Shankar, was found to be intoxicated at the time of the incident, causing the initial motorcycle crash that triggered the tragic chain of events leading to the bus fire.

Forensic reports from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL), Kurnool, confirmed alcohol traces in the viscera samples of the biker. Police investigations revealed that the bike skidded on the wet road, hit the highway divider, and the rider died on the spot. Subsequently, the bike was lying on the road when the Vemuri Kaveri Travels bus, travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, ran over the motorcycle, dragging it on the highway.

This collision resulted in a massive fire that engulfed the bus, killing 19 passengers onboard, most of whom were asleep. The bus was also carrying a consignment of 234 smartphones and electric batteries, which forensic experts believe intensified the fire and explosion inside the luggage compartment.

CCTV footage showed the biker refueling his bike shortly before the accident, and eyewitness accounts detail the rider's reckless and intoxicated driving on a rainy night.

The second bus driver was reportedly sober and has been cooperating with the investigation so far. Police have filed cases under relevant traffic and negligence laws based on complaints and forensic evidence.

In response to the tragedy, Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar took a strong stance, describing drunk drivers as "terrorists" and labelling their actions on roads as acts of terror. In a Twitter post, he declared zero tolerance for drunk driving, emphasizing that such dangerous behaviour destroys lives and families and will be met with strict enforcement and no leniency.

He warned that drunk driving is not merely a mistake but a criminal act deserving stringent punishment. This statement has underscored calls for stricter measures against drunk driving and has drawn public attention to recurring issues of road safety, including the pending challans and corruption allegations in the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) that undermine enforcement.

The incident has sparked a wider debate on road safety management failures in Andhra Pradesh, with critics highlighting how pending traffic challans and a lack of effective enforcement permit reckless driving behaviours to go unchecked.

Officials are urged to act decisively against corruption within the RTA and strengthen protocols to prevent intoxicated driving, ensuring quicker clearance of traffic violations to enhance public safety.