Police personnel and others gather near a Bengaluru-bound private bus that caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler, with the blaze being triggered after the motor bike with its fuel cap open was dragged underneath the bus, in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: In a twist to the Kurnool bus tragedy, it has now emerged that Siva Sankar, whose bike triggered the inferno that killed 19 passengers on Friday, had skidded and died before the ill-fated bus dragged his vehicle.
According to Kurnool police, the bike involved in the accident carried both Sankar and his friend, identified as Yerriswami alias Nani, who was riding pillion.
CCTV footage from a petrol bunk a few kilometers from the mishap site showed the duo arriving together. The footage captured Sankar impatiently calling out to attendants for fuel. Further footage showed the bike skidding inside the bunk, leading police to suspect that Sankar may have consumed alcohol before the incident.
The preliminary probe revealed that Sankar and Yerriswami got the bike refueled for petrol worth Rs 300 before continuing. Shortly after leaving, near Chinnatekur, Sankar lost control and hit a road divider, dying instantly. Yerriswami escaped with minor injuries and fled, leaving the bike on the Kurnool highway. He is now in the custody of the Kurnool police.
“We questioned Yerriswami from several angles during the inquiry. The pulsar bike on which they were traveling stopped at the HP petrol bunk near the Kia showroom around 2:24 am to refuel petrol worth Rs 300 before the crash. Shortly after leaving, near Chinnatekur, Sankar skidded and hit the road divider on the highway. He died on the spot. Yerriswami, who was seated behind him, escaped with minor injuries. At the accident site, Yerriswami pulled Sankar from the road to check his breathing and attempted to move the fallen bike after realising that he was dead. At that moment, the bus arrived and hit the bike, dragging it a short distance,” said Kurnool SP Vikrant Patil.
As flames erupted under the bus, Yerriswami panicked and fled the scene, heading back to his native village, Tuggali. Later, after examining the footage police came to know about the pillion rider and inquired about Yerriswami and took him into custody.
“Ulakonda Police have registered a case regarding this accident, and the investigation is continuing,” added SP Patil.
Teams from the Road Transport Authority and police on Saturday examined the spot where Sankar’s body was found, about 200 to 300 meters before the site where the bus went up in flames. They inspected the area for potential signs of the bike hitting the divider.
Bus flouted all safety norms
Initial inspection by the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Authority (RTA) has revealed that V Kaveri Travels flouted almost all safety norms mandated for AC sleeper buses.
Sources in the state RTA indicated that the Scania made AC bus might not have received approval for conversion into a sleeper coach. While registered initially as a 43-seater, it had been modified to accommodate 42 berths, both upper and lower. RTA officials are probing this angle further.
Under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), AC sleeper buses must adhere to strict safety guidelines detailed in the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS), primarily AIS 119 and AIS 153. These norms regulate vehicle construction, fire safety, emergency exits, and interior material use.
Every sleeper coach must also be fitted with a Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS) compliant with AIS 135:2016, designed to detect and automatically suppress fires in the passenger area. It was found that the R Kaveri bus lacked this system.
Materials used in its construction, including upholstery, curtains, cushions, and pillows, must be fire-retardant as per IS 15061:2002 standards. However, the materials in this bus were reportedly highly inflammable.
For sleeper coaches up to 12 meters in length, at least four emergency exits are mandated, one door and two roof hatches among them. Larger buses require a minimum of five exits, and every berth must be equipped with a hammer to break windows during emergencies. Very few hammers were found inside the gutted bus.
All these crucial safety measures, officials said, were blatantly ignored.
“After obtaining CCTV footage, we spoke to Sivashankar’s friend, Yerriswami. Based on the accounts from both Yerriswami and the bus driver, we got clarity about what truly happened. Before the Kaveri Travels bus arrived, Sivashankar’s bike had already met with an accident. Sivashankar died on the spot, while Yerriswami escaped with minor injuries. He moved Sivashankar’s body off the road and planned to move the bike aside. In the meantime, the Kaveri Travels bus approached, and the bike got stuck under the lower part of the bus and was dragged forward,” said Kurnool range DIG Koya Praveen on Saturday.
He further said that before the driver could apply brakes, massive flames erupted in the bus following the collision.
“Yerriswami works for the GHMC in Hyderabad, while the deceased, Sivashankar, worked in tiles manufacturing. Both had dinner together at a roadside dhaba. Yerriswami is from a village in Tuggali mandal. Since there were no buses available at that hour, Sivashankar offered to drop him off at Dhone town on his bike. Earlier, they had refueled at a petrol station — both were seen in the CCTV footage from there,” said Praveen.
The DIG also said one person boarded the bus at Aramghar in Hyderabad without a reservation to travel to Bengaluru. His whereabouts are still unknown. “Our district SP spoke with the Rajendranagar police officer, and efforts are underway to trace him using CCTV footage photos. The RTA officials are preparing a report on the bus. If the Forensics or Motor Vehicle Inspector report indicates negligence on the part of the bus management, we will take strict action accordingly,” the DIG said.