A tragic accident on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad AC sleeper bus in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district claimed 20 lives and left several injured. In the aftermath, one of the drivers, Siva Narayana (30), has drawn public attention — some hailing him as a hero for saving lives, while the police suspect inconsistencies in his statements.
Who Is Siva Narayana?
Siva Narayana, the second driver of the V-Kaveri Travels bus, was reportedly asleep when the vehicle met with an accident around 3 a.m. on Friday. The bus, travelling from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, collided with a motorcycle, rupturing its fuel tank and igniting a massive fire. According to officials, Siva was awakened by the main driver, Lakshmaiah, after the collision. Siva then acted swiftly, breaking windows and helping trapped passengers escape. He has since been taken into police custody for questioning.
Siva Narayana’s Account of the Incident
Recounting the horrifying moments to The Indian Express, Siva said, “It was raining heavily and there was no visibility. The bus hit a bike and dragged the bike under it, but driver Lakshmaiah did not notice this at first.” He added that by the time Lakshmaiah realised something was wrong and applied the brakes, the fire had already begun spreading. “When I woke up, there was smoke everywhere and the doors were jammed. I knew that the windows would give way if enough force was applied. Then I found a rod and broke open the other windows,” Siva said, describing how he pulled several passengers out to safety. One survivor, Subramaiam, confirmed Siva’s bravery, saying, “The first person to help me out was a young man. I later realised he was one of the drivers.”
Driver Flees, Police Launch Investigation
Meanwhile, Lakshmaiah, who was driving at the time of the collision, allegedly fled the scene. Police later booked him and detained Siva for further questioning. However, authorities claim that Siva changed his statement. Initially, he told police that Lakshmaiah had woken him up after the bus hit something. Later, Siva reportedly altered his account, saying the motorcycle and rider were already lying on the road from a previous accident suggesting the bus unknowingly ran over them, causing the explosion.
Police Suspect Siva Narayana Tutored
Investigators in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh suspect Siva might have been “tutored” by the bus owners. “Owners of travel companies often tutor drivers to mislead police so that the company doesn’t come under investigation,” one officer told the media. The Andhra Pradesh government also echoed similar concerns. State Transport Minister M. Ramprasad Reddy said, “When an accident involving these luxury AC buses occurs, especially late in the night, the drivers first call their owners not police or fire or ambulance. The owners advise the driver what to say to the police. The driver of this bus, who fled when his passengers were facing death, must be a savage.”
How Kurnool Bus Fire Caught
According to the investigation, the bus dragged the motorcycle for nearly 300 metres, creating friction that likely caused the devastating fire. “The driver did not tell the second driver that after he hit the motorcycle, he dragged it for at least 300 metres, and this friction could have resulted in that deadly fire,” an officer explained. The fire engulfed the bus within two minutes, leaving passengers with almost no time to escape turning what was meant to be a routine overnight journey into a deadly tragedy.
Siva Narayana Rescued Passengers
While Siva Narayana is being praised for saving lives during the Bengaluru-Hyderabad bus fire tragedy, police remain sceptical about his changing statements. Investigators are probing whether the drivers were coached by the bus company to cover up operational negligence, as the search for accountability continues.
Also Read: Kurnool Bus Fire: 19 Bodies Recovered, DNA Testing Underway, Helpline Setup | Watch
