Panic as mentally unstable man drives RTC bus for 1 km

In a shocking incident, a mentally unstable person drove a crowded APSRTC bus for nearly a kilometre in Visakhapatnam, triggering panic among passengers and raising serious concerns over transport safety. According to police, the bus was heading towards Chodavaram with around 60 passengers after departing from the RTC Complex. Within minutes, the driver, identified as P. A. Rao, halted the vehicle near the LIC building and stepped down briefly to attend to ticket-related matters, while conductor V. S. Lakshmi continued issuing tickets inside the bus.

Taking advantage of the situation, a man allegedly climbed into the driver’s seat and started driving the bus. Initially, passengers did not realise that the driver had been replaced. However, suspicion arose when the bus began moving in an unusual direction. On noticing an unknown person behind the wheel, passengers were alarmed and began shouting in panic. Amid the chaos, the bus reportedly collided slightly with a car ahead, further escalating tension. The vehicle was finally brought to a halt near Poorna Market after passengers and locals intervened and forced it to stop.

Police rushed to the spot and took the individual into custody. He was later identified as Kishore, a person reportedly living by begging near the RTC complex. Officials stated that he appeared to be mentally unstable. The accused has been shifted to a government mental health facility for evaluation, and a case has been registered. Police are continuing the investigation into the incident.

The incident has sparked concern over basic safety protocols in public transport, particularly regarding unattended vehicles and passenger security in high-traffic urban areas.