TIRUPATI: Contrary to initial police assessments that the Hyderabad-Bengaluru bus fire that killed 19 passengers started when the Kaveri Travels bus rammed a two-wheeler near Chinna Tekuru village on the outskirts of Kurnool, leading to the death of the biker, it emerged on Saturday that the bike had in fact skidded and was lying stationary on the highway when the bus ran over it.Surveillance camera footage from a nearby petrol station helped the police connect the dots. Investigating teams found that the motorcycle involved in the bus tragedy had a pillion rider who survived. His interrogation led to the unravelling of the sequence of events.
CCTV footage shows Shiva Shankar, the deceased 21-year-old from Tandrapadu village near Kurnool, entering a petrol pump in an inebriated state with his friend, identified as Erri Swamy from Tuggali village, at 2.22 am on Friday.After filling petrol, the two leave the petrol station at 2.26 am. About 13 minutes later, at 2.39 am, the ill-fated Kaveri Travels bus is also spotted crossing the petrol station. About 10 minutes later, the tragic accident occurred near Chinna Tekuru, about 3 km from the petrol station. Shiva Shankar’s body was found on the road divider near the charred bus.Police identified the pillion rider from the CCTV footage and picked up Erri Swamy from his residence. Swamy told police that their bike had skidded a few minutes before the bus passed by and that he also witnessed the bus catch fire after hitting it.Kurnool SP Vikrant Patil said Shankar started from Lakshmipuram village at around 2 am on Friday to drop Swamy at his native village Tuggali. “After filling petrol, they left the fuel station at 2.26 am. After around three km, Shankar lost control of the bike, which skidded off the road and rammed into the road divider. He sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot. Swamy was hurled over the two-foot-high railing along the road but suffered minor injuries as he landed in the bushes,” Patil said.Erri Swamy told police he realised his friend was dead and first dragged the body from the road to the road divider. He said he tried to move the skidded bike from the middle of the road but found it too heavy. Swamy, according to police, said two other buses passed by before the Kaveri Travels bus but they managed to avoid the bike lying in the middle of the road.Swamy, already in shock at the death of his friend, said he got frightened and ran away from there in panic when the bus dragged the bike for some distance and caught fire. Kurnool police also took Swamy to the accident spot and completed a scene reconstruction.Meanwhile, bus driver Miryala Lakshmaiah, who was taken into custody by police on Friday evening, told police during questioning that he was driving at between 80 and 90 kmph when he ran over the bike. He claimed he suddenly saw the bike, couldn’t control the bus, ran over it and continued driving without realising it was trapped beneath the bus. When the friction made the bike’s fuel tank explode, he stopped the bus. It was too late.Lakshmaiah claimed he tried to open the entry-exit door door as the flames raged, but found them jammed. He jumped out and broke the side and rear windows of the bus with a rod, which helped some passengers jump out. With the inferno quickly spreading and the bus turning into a huge ball of fire, Lakshmaiah said he panicked and ran away.On reports that the driver had faked his education certificates to obtain a heavy vehicle license, the Kurnool SP clarified that Lakshmaiah first obtained his driving license in 2004, adding that they are checking his educational credentials.
About the Author
