Hyderabad Cop's "No Mercy" Warning To Drunk Drivers After Andhra Bus Fire

Drunk drivers are "terrorists" and Hyderabad police will show "no mercy" to anyone driving drunk, the city's police commissioner, VC Sajjanar, has said after 20 people were killed in a bus fire in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool.

"Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period. Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads. The horrific Kurnool bus accident, which claimed the lives of 20 innocent people, was not an accident in the truest sense. It was a preventable massacre, caused by the reckless and irresponsible behavior of an intoxicated biker," the top cop posted on X.

"This was not a road mishap but a criminal act of negligence that annihilated entire families within seconds. The biker, identified as B Shiva Shankar, was reportedly under the influence of alcohol. CCTV footage shows him refueling his motorcycle at 2:24 a.m., minutes before he lost control and caused the devastating collision at 2:39 a.m. His decision to drive drunk turned a moment of arrogance into a tragedy of unimaginable scale," Sajjanar said.

Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period.

Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads. The horrific #Kurnool bus accident, which claimed the lives of 20 innocent people, was not an accident in the truest sense. It was a preventable… pic.twitter.com/oXTp0uOt2k

— V.C. Sajjanar, IPS (@SajjanarVC) October 26, 2025

"I stand firmly by my statement that DRUNK DRIVERS ARE TERRORISTS in every sense. They destroy lives, families, and futures. Such acts will never be tolerated," the senior officer added.

Stressing that Hyderabad police has a zero tolerance stance against drunk driving, he said, "Every single person caught driving under the influence will face the full force of law. There will be no leniency, no exceptions, and no mercy for those who endanger innocent lives. It's time we, as a society, stop calling drunk driving a mistake. It is a crime that shatters lives and must be punished accordingly."

The investigation into the Kurnool bus tragedy has revealed that a biker's reckless decision to ride drunk claimed 19 lives.

Shiva Shankar and Erri Swamy were returning after dinner and drinks at a dhaba. While Shiva was riding, Erri was sitting pillion. Erri has admitted that both of them were drunk. Shiva lost control of the bike, hit the divider and died on the spot. A bus then ran over the bike and the two-wheeler was dragged along the road. Its fuel tank sparked the fire that claimed the lives of 19 bus passengers.