Kurnool bus tragedy: 10 bodies handed over to families of victims after DNA testing

Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 26 (ANI): Ten out of the 19 bodies in the Kurnool bus tragedy have been handed over to the families of the victims, Dr Brahmaji, forensic professor at Kurnool Medical College, said on Sunday.
The bodies were handed over after Dr Brahmaji and his team received the DNA test reports of the victims.
He told ANI, "Yesterday, my team and I visited the spot. We sent samples for DNA testing. After receiving the DNA test report, we started handing over the bodies today. So far, we have handed over 10 bodies, and nine are still there. The relatives will arrive shortly, and we will hand over the bodies to them."
A Bengaluru-bound bus from Hyderabad caught fire after a fatal collision with a bike in Chinnatekur near the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on National Highway (NH) 44 in the early hours of Friday, leaving 19 people dead.
Earlier on Saturday, Kurnool Police identified the alleged biker riding with a pillion rider involved in the mishap. The biker was identified as Shiva Shankar, who was killed in the accident. The pillion rider was identified as Erri Swami.
"As part of the investigation into the bus accident that occurred on Friday (24.10.2025) near Chinna Tekuru in Kurnool district, it has been identified that the person who died in the bike accident was Shiva Shankar, and the pillion rider was Erri Swami @ Nani," said Superintendent of Police, Vikranth Patil.
Police took Erri Swami into custody and interrogated him from multiple angles.
"Both Erri Swami and Shiva Shankar had left Lakshmipuram village around 2:00 am after midnight. Shiva Shankar was taking Erri Swami to his native place, Tuggali," said the SP.
During the investigation, it was found out that on their way, they stopped at a petrol pump located near the car showroom and filled petrol worth Rs 300 at around 2:24 am. After refuelling, they proceeded towards Tuggali.
Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Dasoju Sravan had criticised the state government over its alleged negligence following the recent bus accident involving a Kaveri Travels vehicle in Kurnool.
Speaking to ANI, the BRS MLC called the incident in which 19 people, including two minors, were killed, the "callousness of the ruling government". (ANI)