A major bus accident occurred in Andhra Pradesh leaving the state in grief shock. The tragic incident occurred on the Hindupur – Madakasira ghat road involving an APSRTC bus falling downhill. The APSRTC bus which met the accident was believed to be carrying more than fifty people and most of them are students Madakasira town to Hindupur for higher studies, started from Madakasira to Penukonda at around 7:45 as far as confidential reports.

Eye Witness: Fault of Auto Rickshaw Driver and RTC Driver

APSRTC bus met the accident when it was negotiating a curve on the intervening ghat section of the road which was less than 10 km’s from the Penukonda town and it fell into a gorge of around 30 feet in depth.  The driver was apparently trying to avoid an auto rickshaw coming from the opposite side and the driver swerved causing the accident which led the bus to overturn and slip down the gorge, according to eyewitnesses. Negligence of the driver is being blamed. Thankfully 108 ambulances were available nearby and reached within 20 minutes of the accident. Injured people were rushed to the to the Penukonda and Hindupur government hospitals, Puttaparthi Satya Saibaba Hospital and also Bangalore for treatment and till now a total of twenty-five people have been identified as injured as per the police official reports. Rescue team claimed that 11 students and a forest guard are feared to be dead which is confirmed by the revenue and police authorities, although the bodies are yet to be identified.

Though the state of many injured is serious which speculates that the death toll may rise further while doctors are giving out their maximum efforts medicating and treating them at the Penukonda and Hindupur government hospitals. Rescue operations carried out by the locals, police and revenue authorities were witnessed working in full swing in a race against time to help out the injured primarily and look for the severely injured but alive people.

AP Government Ordered Probe into Cause of Mishap

An official probe has been ordered into the cause of the tragic accident so as to know the reasons that led to the accident. APSRTC board and executive director M. Ravinder Secretary  said that “We will examine the possibility of driver error in negotiating the stretch and his judgment that could have led to the tyre getting off the bus at the kerb cutting.” Andhra Pradesh state government Minister for IT Mr. Palle Raghunath Reddy who was camping in Anantapur has asked APSRTC officials and the district administration to render all possible assistance and best of Medicare to the injured. APSRTC regional manager G Venkateswarlu said at least 30 injured, are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Penukonda, Anantapur and Hindupur and depending on their condition, they would be shifted to Bengaluru. Police, revenue and RTC officials were engaged in relief operations, the official added. Modi condoles deaths in Andhra bus accident.  Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the accident. He directed ministers from the region to rush to the scene and supervise relief operations. Naidu announced compensation of Rs.5 lakh each for the families of the dead and Rs.2 lakh each for grievously injured. Leader of Opposition and president of YSR Congress Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has also expressed shock over the accident.