Kurnool bus tragedy: 2nd driver in spotlight — from rescuing passengers to ‘changing statements’

The man who was driving the bus fled soon after the accident. The second driver, who had been sleeping at the time of the incident, is said to have broke open windows and pulled several passengers out to safety. He was also taken into police custody, where he has allegedly been changing his statements.

Written by Nikhila Henry

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Hyderabad | Updated: October 25, 2025 07:13 AM IST

4 min read

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The bus caught fire in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. (PTI)

One of the drivers of the Bengaluru-Hyderabad AC sleeper bus that caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool has come into the spotlight following the tragedy that claimed 20 lives, with some seeing him as the hero who rescued several passengers, and the police alleging that he has been changing his statements.

Siva Narayana (30), the second driver of the V-Kaveri Travels bus, has been taken into custody by police. He was not behind the wheel when the bus collided with a motorcycle at 3 am Friday, leading to a rupture in the fuel tank that caused the deadly fire, but had been asleep, like many of the passengers. Lakshmaiah, who was driving the bus, woke him up after the incident, following which Siva is said to have acted quickly in breaking the windows of the bus and pulling several passengers out.

Charred remains of a Hyderabad-bound private bus that caught fire after a collision with a two-wheeler, near Chinnatekur in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. At least 12 people were killed in the accident. (PTI Photo)

He told The Indian Express, “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.” By the time the driver noticed something was wrong and applied the brakes, the fire had already broken out, he said. According to Siva, when he woke up, there was smoke everywhere and the doors were jammed. “I knew that the windows would give way if enough force is applied. Then I found a rod and broke open the other windows,” he said. After this, he pulled several passengers out of the burning bus, witnesses said.

Also Read | Mother visiting her daughter, techie returning after Diwali holidays: Families search for loved ones after Kurnool bus tragedy

One of the survivors, Subramaiam, said, “The first person to help me out was a young man. I later realised he was one of the drivers.”

Following the incident, the man who was driving the bus, Lakshmaiah, fled the scene. Police booked Lakshmaiah and took Siva into custody.

After questioning him, police alleged that Siva changed his statement about the accident. Initially, he had said that Lakshmaiah woke him up and told him that the bus had hit something and that it could be serious, following which they discovered that the motorcycle was wedged under the bus, police said. Later, however, police said Siva allegedly changed his statement and claimed that the motorcycle and its rider were already lying on the road due to a “previous accident”, and that Lakshmaiah drove over them unknowingly, triggering the fire.

Investigating officers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh expressed suspicion that Siva had been “tutored”. “Owners of travel companies often tutor drivers to mislead police so that the company doesn’t come under investigation,” one officer said.

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The Andhra Pradesh government appeared to share that view. “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,” Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister M Ramprasad Reddy told The Indian Express.

According to investigators, the fire spread within two minutes, leaving passengers little time to escape. “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,” one officer said.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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