Drunk biker caused Kurnool bus accident, says forensic report
A forensic investigation in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh has established that the biker whose two-wheeler triggered a raging bus fire was intoxicated at the time of his crash. The rider, identified as Shiva Shankar, lost control of his bike, collided with a roadside divider and died instantly. His stalled motorcycle was subsequently struck and dragged by a sleeper bus operated by Vemuri Kaveri Travels, sparking a fire that engulfed the vehicle and resulted in 20 fatalities. The viscera sample taken during investigation showed clear traces of alcohol, while CCTV footage captured Shankar buying liquor just hours before the accident. Local authorities have filed multiple charges against both the biker’s associates and the bus operator, underscoring a fail-safe chain of events exacerbated by impaired driving and alleged operational negligence.
The Key points
- Forensic lab results revealed alcohol in the biker’s system, confirming he was drunk at the time of the crash.
- The biker’s motorcycle veered off and hit a divider, and the rider died at the scene.
- The stalled bike lay on the highway when the bus crashed into it and dragged it for hundreds of metres, igniting the blaze.
- The bus was on a route from Hyderabad towards Bengaluru and was operated by Vemuri Kaveri Travels.
- Nineteen or twenty passengers, including children, were charred to death in the fire; others escaped by breaking windows.
- The biker had reportedly purchased alcohol shortly before the incident, as captured on CCTV.
- Investigation revealed potential lapses by the bus driver, including a possibly forged licence and a converted sleeper-coach configuration.
- Legal cases have been filed under Sections 281, 125(A), and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for drunk driving and negligence.
- The accident has raised urgent questions about road-safety enforcement, drunk-driving deterrents and transport-operator compliance.
- Authorities have pledged stringent action, citing zero tolerance for driving under the influence and calling the tragedy “preventable”.
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