After Kurnool Bus Tragedy, Police Issue Notices to YSRCP for ‘Spreading Propaganda’

In the latest example of the TDP government suppressing dissent, Kurnool police have issued notices to YSRCP leaders, accusing the party of spreading propaganda related to the Kurnool bus tragedy case.

While 27 people have already been booked, the Kurnool police on November 7 (Friday) arrived at the YSRCP office in Tadepalli and served a notice to the party’s general secretary (media) Pudi Srihari.

On October 24, a Volvo sleeper bus operated by V. Kaveri Travels collided with a motorcycle on NH-44 near Chinnatekur village in Kallur mandal, Kurnool district, while en route from Hyderabad to Bengaluru. As many as 19 people were killed in the tragic incident.

Kurnool Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Koya Praveen had earlier revealed that the bike accident occurred moments before the bus collision.

He said the two bike-borne individuals — Siva Shankar and Erri Swamy — had left Lakshmipuram village around 2 a.m. for Tuggali. They stopped for food at a dhaba and later refueled at an HP petrol bunk near the Kia showroom at 2:24 a.m. A video showing Shankar riding rashly at the fuel station went viral, raising suspicions of drunken driving.

Confirming these suspicions, the DIG said, “Forensic tests confirmed that the two bike-borne persons were drunk.” Swamy also admitted they had consumed alcohol.

After resuming their ride, the bike reportedly skidded and hit a divider, killing Shankar on the spot. Swamy, who sustained minor injuries, moved Shankar from the middle of the road. Before he could remove the bike, the speeding bus rammed into it, dragging it several meters. The fuel tank exploded, setting the bus ablaze.

Following the initial investigation, police booked a case against bus driver Miryala Lakshmaiah as Accused 1 (A1) and Vinod Kumar, the bus operator, as Accused 2 (A2).

After CCTV footage showed Shiva purchasing alcohol twice before the accident, the YSRCP blamed the TDP government for the tragedy.

YSR Congress Party Kurnool District President and former MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy held the coalition government directly responsible, describing the incident as a “government-made massacre” caused by the illegal sale of spurious liquor.

He demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu apologize to the victims’ families, pay ₹1 crore compensation to each, and register a criminal case against Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra for allegedly enabling belt shops and the fake liquor trade.

“If liquor hadn’t been sold illegally that night, those 20 lives would still be here. These are not accidents — they are murders committed by the government’s greed,” he declared.

State SC Cell President and former MLA T.J.R. Sudhakar Babu condemned the police action and slammed the TDP for issuing notices to the YSRCP headquarters.