Driver held for setting three buses on fire

Hyderabad: Kukatpally police arrested Pasupuleti Veerababu, a driver with Bharathi Travels on charges of setting three buses owned by the agency on fire two days ago. Police initially suspected that it was an accidental fire, but on analysing the CCTV footage, they noticed a person moving suspiciously near the parked buses just before the fire. He was identified as Veerababu and on questioning he admitted to have set them on fire.

Veerababu admitted to police that he resorted to the step, feeling humiliated that the owner Krishna Reddy and his nephew Yashwanth Reddy beat him and abused him, for refusing to go on duty, despite being his off. Based on his statement, police registered a case against them and started an investigation, said Kukatpally ACP A. Chandra Shekar.

Inquiries revealed that Veerababu has been working for the agency for two months. On Sunday, he was asked to go on a trip as they had received additional bookings, but Veerababu said that he had returned from a trip in the morning and did not want to go on another trip. He said that he was planning to go his home in Krishna district. Angered by this, Krishna Reddy and Yashwanth assaulted him with a tree branch and also with a rubber belt used in the bus. Feeling humiliated, he consumed alcohol and further to avenge them, he set the buses on fire and then travelled home, the police said.