Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar on Friday condemned the Kurnool bus fire that left at least 20 people dead, calling drunk driving an act of “terror.” The Bengaluru-bound private sleeper bus caught fire after colliding with a fallen motorbike on National Highway 44 near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Friday.
Investigations revealed that the crash occurred after a biker, allegedly intoxicated, lost control and died on the spot, leaving his motorcycle on the road. The bus, travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, rammed into the bike, triggering a fire that engulfed the vehicle within minutes.
'A preventable massacre'
Terming the incident “a preventable massacre,” Sajjanar said, “Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period. Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads.” In a post on X, he described the crash as “a criminal act of negligence that annihilated entire families.”
He further wrote, “I stand firmly by my statement that drunk drivers are terrorists in every sense. They destroy lives, families, and futures. Such acts will never be tolerated.”
Sajjanar added that Hyderabad Police would show “no mercy” towards offenders caught driving under the influence. “Every single person caught driving under the influence will face the full force of law. There will be no leniency, no exceptions, and no mercy for those who endanger innocent lives,” he said.
Biker’s death preceded bus blaze
The Kurnool Superintendent of Police confirmed that the biker, identified as Panchala Shiva Shankar, 20, of Lakshmipuram village, was travelling with his friend Erriswamy when the accident took place. CCTV footage from a nearby petrol station showed the two refuelling their motorbike around 2:00 am before the crash.
“Shiva Shankar was under the influence of alcohol, as was evident from his behaviour at the petrol pump,” the SP said. The bus, operated by Vemuri Kaveri Travels, struck the bike at around 2:39 am, allegedly igniting spilled fuel and causing the blaze that killed 19 passengers.
