‘Acts of terror on our roads’: Hyderabad top cop vows 'zero mercy' after Kurnool tragedy kills 19

Biker’s fall on NH-44 sparked deadly blaze; police vow zero tolerance for drunk driving after “preventable massacre”

At least 19 passengers were burned to death and several others injured after a private sleeper bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire early Friday morning. The accident took place near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, when the bus collided with a motorbike lying on the road, moments after its rider, reportedly drunk, had crashed and died.

According to police cited by PTI, the collision triggered an explosion that engulfed the vehicle within minutes, turning a routine overnight journey into one of the state’s deadliest highway tragedies this year.

Biker under influence sparked chain reaction

Investigators said the incident began when 20-year-old Panchala Shiva Shankar of Lakshmipuram village and his friend Erriswamy were returning home around 2 a.m. after refuelling their Pulsar motorbike. CCTV footage from the nearby petrol station showed both men appearing visibly intoxicated.

“Shiva Shankar was under the influence of alcohol, as was evident from his behaviour at the petrol pump,” said the Kurnool Superintendent of Police.

Minutes later, the biker reportedly lost control and hit the road divider, leaving the motorcycle toppled across the highway. Around 2.39 a.m., the Vemuri Kaveri Travels sleeper bus, en route to Bengaluru, rammed into the bike. The spilled petrol ignited on impact, setting the bus ablaze.

‘Drunk drivers are terrorists’: Hyderabad top cop’s hardline response

The horrific crash triggered an emotional outburst from Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar, who condemned the incident on X (formerly Twitter) and equated drunk driving with terrorism.

Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period. Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads. The horrific #Kurnool bus accident, which claimed the lives of 20 innocent people, was not an accident in the truest sense. It was a preventable… pic.twitter.com/oXTp0uOt2k

— V.C. Sajjanar, IPS (@SajjanarVC) October 26, 2025

“Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period. Their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads,” Sajjanar wrote.

“This was not an accident. It was a preventable massacre, a criminal act of negligence that annihilated entire families.”

Sajjanar said his department would show “no mercy” to anyone caught driving under the influence. “It’s time we stop calling drunk driving a mistake. It is a crime that shatters lives and must be punished accordingly,” he added.

Anger, grief and calls for accountability

The accident has sparked outrage across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with many residents calling for stricter enforcement of drunk-driving laws and improved highway surveillance.

Local residents rushed to the scene after spotting flames and tried to break open the bus windows, but the intensity of the fire made rescue efforts nearly impossible. Most victims are believed to have been asleep at the time of the crash.

Police and fire personnel managed to douse the blaze only after hours of effort. Identification of victims is underway, with families of missing passengers being contacted by authorities.

“Every time someone drives drunk, they are not just risking their own life,” said a senior road safety official. “They are turning a vehicle into a weapon.”