Hyderabad: Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, VC Sajjanar on Sunday, October 26 took a firm stance against drunk drivers and equated them to terrorists after it was found that the two people whose bike triggered the Hyderabad-Bengaluru bus fire had been in an inebriated condition.

“Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads. The horrific Kurnool bus accident, which claimed the lives of 20 innocent people, was not an accident in the truest sense. It was a preventable massacre, caused by the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of an intoxicated biker.” the commissioner stated in a post on X.

Investigation into the Kurnool bus fire has revealed that Siva Shankar (driver) and Erri Swamy (pillion rider) had food in a dhaba and also consumed liquor. The duo was headed to Tuggali and had stopped at a petrol pump where they were captured driving rashly in a CCTV. Shortly after, their two-wheeler skidded resulting in Shankar falling to his right and hitting a divider.

Swamy pulled Shankar from the middle of the road but realised that he had died on the spot. Before he could pull the bike aside the bus rushed in and ran over it, dragging it forward to some distance. The open cap of the fuel tank on the bike and the friction caused between the bus and the road are suspected to have triggered the fire.

Witnessing the accident, Swamy fled for his native village of Tuggali but was later arrested by the police.

“The biker, identified as B. Shiva Shankar, was under the influence of alcohol. CCTV footage shows him refueling his motorcycle at 2:24 a.m., minutes before he lost control and caused the devastating collision at 2:39 a.m. His decision to drive drunk turned a moment of arrogance into a tragedy of unimaginable scale.” the CP wrote in his post.

“In Hyderabad, we are adopting a zero-tolerance stance against drunk driving. 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.” the CP has warned.

14 cases booked amid crackdown on private buses in Telangana

Transport authorities in Telangana on Sunday continued their crackdown on private buses for violations of safety and fitness norms.

A transport department official told PTI that 14 cases were booked for offences such as inadequate safety measures, and penalties amounting to Rs 46,000 were collected.

Nearly 500 inter-state private travel buses operate from Hyderabad daily.

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar had said he would meet his Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka counterparts to frame measures to prevent bus accidents amid heavy inter-state traffic.

He warned private bus operators of strict action if they failed to maintain vehicle fitness and comply with statutory regulations.

“The owners should follow rules and ensure that the buses do not overspeed, as private buses are known to travel at high speed,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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