K V Krishna Rao, working as an Assistant Vehicle Inspector (AVI) at the Uppal RTO Office, was riding to work when the tanker hit his motorcycle near the theatre, police said.

He sustained serious injuries in the crash and was rushed in a 108 ambulance to Kamineni Hospital. Doctors said his condition remains critical.

Traffic on the Uppal-Habsiguda stretch was disrupted for nearly 30 minutes following the accident, as police cleared the damaged motorcycle and regulated vehicle movement near the busy theatre junction.

Local residents said the area witnesses frequent heavy-vehicle movement despite being a congested commercial zone. They alleged that speeding tankers and trucks pose a recurring risk to two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, especially during peak office hours.

Police said a case would be registered after recording statements and examining CCTV footage from the vicinity. The tanker driver fled the spot, and efforts are on to trace the vehicle, officials added.