Drunk drivers terrorists, destroy lives, says top cop after Andhra bus fire

In the wake of the recent bus fire in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Sunday described drunk drivers as “terrorists” and warned that anyone caught driving under the influence would face the full force of the law, with no leniency for those endangering innocent lives.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Police confirmed that the two bike-borne individuals linked to the Kurnool bus fire, which claimed 19 lives, were intoxicated. The accident occurred in the early hours of October 24 when a sleeper bus ran over a two-wheeler that had already met with an accident at Chinna Tekuru village in Kurnool district.

“We have just received forensic confirmation that the two bike-borne individuals, Shankar and Erri Swamy, were drunk,” said Kurnool Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen on Sunday.

Referring to the tragedy, Sajjanar said in a post on X, “Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads. The horrific Kurnool bus accident was not an accident in the truest sense. It was a preventable massacre caused by the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of an intoxicated biker.”

He reiterated, “I stand firmly by my statement that drunk drivers are terrorists in every sense. They destroy lives, families, and futures, and such acts will never be tolerated.”

According to the police, the two-wheeler was dragged under the bus, causing its fuel tank to burst and ignite a fire that spread rapidly after the explosion of the bus’s two 12 kV batteries.