Kurnool: A day after the horrific bus accident near Kurnool that claimed 19 lives, police have made a major breakthrough. CCTV footage has revealed that the “killer bus” did not hit a moving bike, as earlier believed. It instead ran over a motorcycle that had already been lying on the road, dragged it and soon burst into flames.
Earlier reports claimed that the bus hit a moving bike ridden by B. Siva Sankar from Prajanagar Colony in Kurnool, which led to the fire and the massive tragedy. Even home minister Vangalapudi Anitha and transport minister M. Ram Prasad Reddy emphasised this as the cause for the accident.
However, new evidence has completely changed the course of investigation. A CCTV video that surfaced on Saturday showed two men — Siva Sankar and his friend Erriswamy — filling petrol at a bunk near Chinna Tekuru around 2:22 am. The police had earlier said that the accident happened between 2:45 am and 3 am, and the timeline matched perfectly.
Kurnool SP Vikrant Patil said police verified CCTV footage from nearby areas and identified the pillion rider as Erriswamy, also known as Nani. Police traced Erriswamy and questioned him about what happened that night.
According to police, Siva Sankar and Erriswamy left Lakshmipuram village around 2 am on a bike, heading to Tuggali to drop Erriswamy. After refuelling their bike with petrol worth Rs 300 at the bunk, they continued their journey. A few minutes later, near Chinna Tekuru, Siva Sankar lost control of the bike, which skidded and hit the divider on the right side of the highway. He died on the spot, while his friend Erriswamy escaped with minor injuries.
Erriswamy told police that he pulled Siva Sankar off the road and checked if he was alive. While he tried to move the fallen bike from the middle of the highway, a speeding V Kaveri Travels bus ran over it, dragging it for a short distance before bursting into flames. Shocked and terrified, Erriswamy fled the scene and reached Tuggali, his village.
Initially, police believed the version given by the bus driver or others, who claimed that the vehicle hit a moving bike. But the new footage and Erriswamy’s statement have exposed the truth — the bus driver failed to notice the bike lying on the road and ran over it due to sheer negligence, leading to the loss of 19 innocent lives.
SP Vikrant Patil said Ulindakonda police have registered a case and are continuing the investigation.
Points:
– CCTV footage has revealed that the “killer bus” did not hit a moving bike, as earlier believed, but instead ran over a motorcycle lying on the road.
– Biker Siva Sankar had not been alone. His friend Erriswamy, who accompanied him, revealed the facts.
