Kurnool bus fire: Did the biker's recklessness trigger the accident?

A newly obtained CCTV footage has shed more light on the tragic Kurnool bus fire accident in Andhra Pradesh that claimed 20 lives on Friday (October 24). The private bus, belonging to Vemuri Kaveri Travels, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when it collided with a motorcycle on the highway in Kurnool district. The visuals, captured just hours before the incident, suggest that the biker involved in the accident was driving recklessly.

Also read: What led to Kurnool bus blaze? Here is the official version

‘We were both thrown off the bike’

Only one of the two people on the motorcycle — pillion rider Yerriswamy — survived. His friend B Shivashankar died after getting dragged under the bus.

Yerriswamy told the police, “We were riding the bike when the bus rammed into us at high speed. We were both flung off. I rolled to the side of the road. There was a petrol smell from below, and in moments, flames broke out. Soon after, I heard explosions and screams coming from inside the bus.”

Police are treating his testimony as a key piece of preliminary evidence and are reconstructing the sequence of events based on it.

Also read: Kurnool bus fire: Two drivers booked for negligence, overspeeding

The two-wheeler, which was pulled along for several metres, caught fire, spreading flames to the underside of the bus. Nineteen passengers were burnt alive, while seven others sustained injuries. Yerriswamy, who fled the scene with severe burns, is currently receiving treatment in the hospital and has become the primary witness in the police investigation.

Hailing from Rampalli village in Tuggali mandal, Yerriswamy was on his way to Dhone when the accident occurred. Local media reports, citing CCTV visuals, indicate that both he and Shivashankar had consumed alcohol before the bike ride, but the police refused to say so.

Alcohol angle? Forensic reports awaited

Officers, off the record, said their behaviour appears suggestive that they were drunk, but results are awaited. According to the police’s preliminary reconstruction, the collision likely occurred while overtaking a vehicle moving in the same direction on NH-44.

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“This is our initial assessment based on CCTV footage and eyewitness inputs. The investigation is still on,” a senior officer said, adding that the pillion rider is being questioned to firm up the timeline. Police stressed that all findings remain tentative until the comprehensive inquiry — including forensic reports and mechanical inspections — is completed.

“Conclusive clarity will emerge only after the full investigation,” the officer added.

CCTV footage gives a new twist

The CCTV footage shows that about an hour before the accident, Shivashankar and Yerriswamy visited a fuel station. When no attendant was found, the duo was seen shouting in frustration. Shivashankar, visibly agitated, spun his bike on the side stand and sped away. His movements appeared unstable, riding recklessly, suggesting he might have been intoxicated. To confirm, the police have sent Shivashankar's viscera samples for forensic examination.

Key evidence and arrests

Yerriswamy’s statement aligns with the CCTV timeline. The footage shows Shivashankar at the fuel station at 2:34 a.m., while the bus collision occurred between 3:00 and 3:30 a.m.

Following the incident, police arrested bus drivers Miryala Lakshmaiah and Sivanarayana, charging them with negligent driving and causing death by recklessness.

Three angles under investigation

Investigating agencies are now examining three possible causes behind the tragedy:

Negligence or intoxication of the bike rider; violation of safety norms by the bus company; Illegal transport of lithium batteries.

A high-level committee comprising officials from the police, transport, and revenue departments has been formed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the case.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Andhra Pradesh)