In the wake of the latest bus fire in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Sunday described drunk drivers as "terrorists" and warned that those caught driving under the influence here would face the full force of the law, with no mercy for anyone endangering innocent lives.
Andhra Pradesh police on Sunday confirmed that the two bike-borne individuals linked to the Bengaluru-bound bus fire, which claimed 19 lives, were intoxicated.
In the early hours of October 24, the sleeper bus ran over a two-wheeler that had already met with an accident at Chinna Tekuru village in Kurnool district.
Referring to the incident, 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." The commissioner added, "This was not a road mishap but a criminal act of negligence that annihilated entire families within seconds." Further, he said, "The biker, identified as B Shiva Shankar, was under the influence of alcohol. CCTV footage shows him refuelling his motorcycle at 2.24 am, minutes before he lost control and caused the devastating collision at 2.39 am. His decision to drive drunk turned a moment of arrogance into a tragedy of unimaginable scale." 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." Sajjanar said the Hyderabad police are adopting a zero-tolerance stance on drunk driving.
"Every single person caught driving under the influence will face the full force of the law. There will be no leniency, no exceptions, and no mercy for those who endanger innocent lives. It is time we, as a society, stop calling drunk driving a mistake. It is a crime that shatters lives and must be punished accordingly," he added.
The two-wheeler was dragged under the bus, causing its fuel tank to burst and igniting the blaze, which intensified with the explosion of the bus's two 12 KV batteries.
"We just received forensic confirmation that the two bike-borne individuals, Shankar and Erri Swamy, were drunk," Kurnool Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen told PTI.
The DIG on Saturday night said that the duo had food in a dhaba, and Swamy had admitted to consuming liquor.
According to police, Shankar and Swamy had started on the two-wheeler from Lakshmipuram village at around 2 am on October 24 to drop the latter at Tuggali village in Kurnool district.
A video of their halt at a petrol bunk went viral, and Shankar was seen riding the two-wheeler rashly.
Shortly after resuming their journey, the two-wheeler skidded, resulting in Shankar falling to his right and hitting the divider. He died on the spot.
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