High-Speed Chase, Several Dents: Telangana Man Steals Bus, Gets Caught

Jagtial: A dramatic high-speed chase unfolded in Telangana's Jagtial district on Tuesday after an unidentified man allegedly stole a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus from the Korutla Bus Stand and drove it recklessly towards Nizamabad, injuring several people and damaging multiple vehicles before being arrested by police.According to police and eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when the RTC bus was parked at the Korutla Bus Stand ahead of its scheduled trip.The driver, identified as Praveen, had briefly stepped out with colleagues for tea, leaving the vehicle unattended for a few minutes.Speaking about the incident, Praveen said he initially assumed 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.During the chase, the stolen bus allegedly hit a motorcyclist near the Ashtalakshmi Temple, leaving the rider seriously injured.The accused continued driving at high speed, reportedly ramming a police patrol vehicle near the Aarambh bridge and colliding with several other vehicles, triggering panic among motorists and disrupting traffic along the route.Police teams launched an intensive pursuit after receiving information from the RTC staff. The chase came to an end near the Hanuman Temple, where the bus veered off the road and got stuck in a roadside ditch.The suspect attempted to escape on foot after abandoning the vehicle but was quickly overpowered and taken into custody by police personnel.Praveen clarified that there were no passengers on board at the time of the theft."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 said.The accused has been shifted to the Metpally Police Station for interrogation.Police have registered a case and are investigating the motive behind the theft. Officials are also verifying the identity of the suspect and assessing whether he was suffering from any mental health issues at the time of the incident.