Bike skidded before bus mishap in Kurnool, confirm cops
Police said the Kurnool bus fire was preceded by a separate two-wheeler accident in which the rider, Siva Shankar, died instantly after skidding on a wet road. The bus later ran over the fallen bike, leading to the deadly crash
Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh): The police on Saturday said the two-wheeler involved in the bus accident in Kurnool district earlier met with an accident, leading to the instantaneous death of its rider.
Kurnool district Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil said Siva Shankar died on the spot after his two-wheeler skidded on the road and he hit the divider, moments before the bus ran over the vehicle.
However, the pillion rider, Erri Swamy, survived with minor injuries, Patil added.
“While approaching Chinna Tekuru village, the two-wheeler skidded, and Siva Shankar fell to his right, hitting the divider. He died on the spot, but pillion rider Erri Swamy survived with minor injuries,” Patil said in a press release, debunking the earlier belief that the bus had hit the two-wheeler from behind.
Police said questioning Swamy helped establish that there were two separate accidents in quick succession—first involving the two-wheeler, and then the sleeper bus running over it.
“With the latest information, it can be concluded that the bus did not hit the two-wheeler from behind but ran over it after the skidding accident,” the police said.
Nineteen passengers travelling in the private bus had died in the early hours of Friday after the bus ran over a two-wheeler and caught fire.
According to police, Shankar and Swamy had left Lakshmipuram village around 2 am on Friday to drop Swamy at Tuggali village.
En route, they stopped at the HP petrol bunk near the Kia car showroom to refuel, spending Rs 300 at 2.24 am. A video of the halt later went viral.
Shortly after resuming their journey, the two-wheeler skidded, causing Shankar to fall and hit the divider. Wet and muddy roads due to heavy rainfall in the region contributed to the accident, police said.
“When Swamy pulled Shankar from the middle of the road and checked his breath, he realised that Shankar had died on the spot. Even as he was trying to move the bike aside, the bus rushed in and ran over it, dragging it to some distance,” Patil said, describing the sequence of events.
Following the two back-to-back accidents and the bus catching fire, Swamy fled to his native village of Tuggali.
Police said further investigation into the incident is ongoing.
