Kurnool Fire: Fresh CCTV footage has emerged in connection with the devastating bus fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district that claimed 20 lives earlier this week. The video shows the biker, identified as Bucchalu Shiva Shankar, purchasing and consuming alcohol along with his friend just hours before the accident.
The incident occurred near Ulindakonda in the early hours of Saturday when a private bus caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler. The bus, carrying 44 passengers, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when the accident took place. The collision triggered an inferno that engulfed the bus, leaving most victims charred beyond recognition.
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According to Kurnool police, the biker, Shiva Shankar, was a resident of B Thandrapadu village. He was riding the motorcycle with a pillion rider, Yerruswamy, who survived with minor injuries and is now under police custody. The duo had reportedly left Lakshmipuram village around 2 AM, heading towards Tuggali, Yerruswamy’s native place.
According to a News 18 report, the newly surfaced CCTV footage, taken outside a wine shop, shows Shiva Shankar and Yerruswamy purchasing alcohol and consuming it before setting off on their bike. Police said they later stopped at a nearby petrol station for refuelling. Earlier visuals from the same night showed Shiva Shankar struggling to balance his vehicle while leaving the petrol pump, raising suspicion that he was intoxicated.
Minutes after leaving the pump, the bike lost control, hit the divider and fell on the road. Shiva Shankar died instantly, while Yerruswamy escaped with minor injuries. He reportedly tried to move his friend’s body and the two-wheeler off the road. However, before he could do so, a bus coming from behind rammed into the fallen bike. The motorcycle, with its fuel cap open, got stuck underneath the bus and caught fire, spreading flames across the vehicle within seconds.
Several passengers, who were asleep, had no time to react as the fire rapidly consumed the bus. The scene turned horrific as the flames destroyed the vehicle, leaving little chance for rescue.
Following the tragedy, Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar condemned the incident, calling drunk drivers “terrorists on the road.” He said the Kurnool bus fire was “not an accident but a preventable massacre caused by reckless behaviour.”
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured. A case has been registered by Ulindakonda Police and further investigation is underway.