Police arrested the suspect, K Sambhaiah, with investigators claiming that he was trying to escape by jumping a wall. (Express photo)On the bright afternoon of July 21, residents of Korutla in Jagtial district were surprised to see a runaway Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus tearing down NH 63, chased by a police car. The bus allegedly hit some motorcycles, a police vehicle, and some school students, and led the police on an 18-km high-speed chase before it crashed to reveal the driver — a 35-year-old former mechanic.Police arrested the suspect, K Sambhaiah, with investigators claiming that he was trying to escape by jumping a wall. According to the police, the suspect was drunk at the time of the incident and had allegedly stolen the vehicle from platform number 8 at the Korutla bus depot. The bus was unlocked and the driver and conductor were away collecting schoolchildren from a nearby school, police said, and Sambhaiah allegedly gained entry, reversed it and sped away.The driver who witnessed this immediately alerted police and depot managers, and at least seven police vehicles chased it for 18 km, one police officer said. “During this chase, he hit 3-4 motorcycles, a police vehicle, and some students who were boarding another bus at Metpally, and almost ran over some pedestrians, before going off the road and crashing into a tree.”Sambhaiah jumped out and allegedly tried to flee but was caught. He is stated to have been drunk. At least three people were admitted to hospital with minor injuries, but there were no deaths.Police said that during the chase, NH 63, which is regularly used by school buses, had to be blocked.This is the second such incident in the state this month. On the night of July 9, J Venkanna, a farm worker in Jangaon town, allegedly stole a TGSRTC bus after a tiff with his wife, driving it for 21 km before he lost control and crashed into a median. He allegedly got off the bus and sat on the road divider until police came and picked him up.“He went to the Jangaon railway station first as he wanted to go to Tirupati. As there was no train, he came to the bus station to catch a bus but stopped to consume alcohol. He found the parked bus and began driving, thinking he was going to Tirupati,” sub-inspector M Bharat, investigating the case, said.Story continues below this adThe two incidents have led the police to issue advisories to depots asking them to lock buses and deposit the keys safely at the depot. “Even if the next shift driver has already arrived, the keys must be handed over in person,’’ the official said.There have been other incidents of people stealing buses to drive them wildly. In April 2019, two brothers — Syed Abed and Syed Zehad — stole a 45-seater bus from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in Hyderabad and drove it to Nanded in Maharashtra. By the time police tracked them down, they had sold the bus to a scrap dealer for Rs 60,000 and had cut its cabin using gas-cutters. Only the partial remains of the vehicle’s chassis were found in a wooded area on the outskirts of Nanded.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 Tags:telangana