A fallen bike triggered a bus fire near Chinna Tekuru, killing 19. CCTV showed the biker died minutes earlier after skidding into a divider
In a devastating incident near Chinna Tekuru village on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway, 19 passengers lost their lives when a Kaveri Travels bus caught fire after running over a motorcycle that had skidded and fallen on the road. Initial police reports suggesting the bus had rammed into a moving two-wheeler were contradicted by CCTV footage from a nearby petrol station, which revealed the bike was already lying stationary on the highway before the bus approached.
The motorcycle was being ridden by 21-year-old Shiva Shankar, who had set out from Lakshmipuram village around 2 am to drop his friend Erri Swamy at Tuggali. Surveillance footage showed the duo entering a petrol station at 2:22 am in an intoxicated state and leaving four minutes later. Approximately 13 minutes after their departure, the Kaveri Travels bus passed the same station, and the fatal accident occurred about 10 minutes later, roughly 3 km away.
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According to the investigation, Shankar lost control of the bike, which skidded and hit a road divider. He sustained fatal head injuries and was later found on the divider near the burnt bus. Swamy, who suffered minor injuries after landing in nearby bushes, attempted to move the fallen motorcycle but was unable to lift it. He reported that two buses managed to avoid the bike before the Kaveri Travels bus ran over it, triggering a fire due to friction with the fuel tank.
The bus, reportedly traveling at 80–90 kmph, dragged the motorcycle before it exploded. The driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, halted the vehicle and tried to rescue passengers by breaking windows and opening doors. While some managed to escape, the fire spread rapidly, trapping many inside. Lakshmaiah eventually fled the scene in panic.
Authorities confirmed that Lakshmaiah had obtained his driving license in 2004 and are currently verifying his educational qualifications following concerns about possible forged documents.
The incident has raised serious questions about road safety, emergency response, and the condition of intercity transport vehicles, prompting calls for stricter oversight and preventive measures.