Tea Break Turns Costly: Man Steals TSRTC Bus, Police Chase Ends in Ditch
HYDERABAD: An unidentified man allegedly stole a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus from the Korutla Bus Stand on Tuesday. He led police on a high-speed chase before officers arrested him. During the incident, he allegedly injured several people and damaged multiple vehicles.
Bus stolen while driver was away for tea
Police and eyewitnesses said the bus was parked at the Korutla Bus Stand before its scheduled trip. Driver Praveen had stepped out with colleagues for tea, leaving the bus unattended for a few minutes.
Praveen said he first thought a mechanic was moving the bus. “I saw the bus coming out from the in-gate and thought one of our mechanics had taken it. But when I stepped outside, I realised it was an unknown person driving away. We immediately chased the bus on a motorcycle and alerted the police,” he said.
He said no passengers were on board when the man stole the bus. “The bus had just been parked and there were still about 10 minutes left for our duty. We had stepped out only for tea,” he added.
Stolen bus damages vehicles during chase
The accused allegedly hit a motorcyclist near the Ashtalakshmi Temple, seriously injuring the rider.
He then sped towards Nizamabad. Police said he rammed a patrol vehicle near the Aarambh Bridge and crashed into several other vehicles. The reckless drive created panic among motorists and disrupted traffic.
RTC staff alerted the police, who immediately launched a chase.
Police arrest suspect after bus gets stuck
The chase ended near the Hanuman Temple after the bus veered off the road and got stuck in a roadside ditch.
The suspect got out of the bus and tried to run away. Police personnel chased him, overpowered him and took him into custody.
Officers shifted him to the Metpally Police Station for questioning.
Police have registered a case and are investigating the motive behind the theft. They are also verifying the suspect’s identity and checking whether he was suffering from any mental health issues at the time of the incident.
