Chevella Bus accident: Toll goes up to 20, many injured
At least 20 passengers, including a woman and her infant daughter, were killed when a gravel-laden truck collided with a TSRTC bus near Mirzaguda village in Chevella. Rescue operations continued as several passengers remained trapped under debris.
Hyderabad: A woman and her 10 month old daughter were reportedly among the 20 passengers killed in bus accident in Chevella.
The accident on Monday morning happened when a gravel-laden truck collided with a TGSRTC bus from Tandur depot near Mirzaguda village in Chevella in Ranga Reddy district on the Hyderabad–Bijapur National Highway.
The collision was so severe that the front section of the bus was completely crushed, and tons of gravel spilled over, trapping several passengers inside and killing them.
Police and rescue teams rushed to the spot and launched massive relief operations using three JCBs to clear the debris and pull out survivors.
The truck and bus driver and a months old girl child too were killed in road mishap.
Officials confirmed that 15 passengers have been rescued so far, while several others sustained grievous injuries and were shifted to the Chevella Government Hospital. Doctors said the condition of five victims remains critical.
The ill-fated bus, belonging to the Tandur RTC depot, was carrying more than 50 passengers, mostly students and office-goers heading to Hyderabad.
On reaching a curve near Mirzapur, the truck driver who was already driving at a high speed lost control of the vehicle and it collided with the bus and turned over. As a result, the gravel load fell on the bus causing a major tragedy.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as heart-rending, with passengers screaming for help amid twisted metal and gravel heaps.
The mishap led to a massive traffic jam on the Hyderabad–Bijapur National Highway, as vehicles lined up for several kilometers on the Chevella–Vikarabad stretch.
Emergency vehicles also faced difficulty reaching the accident site due to the congestion.
The Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine whether overspeeding or driver negligence caused the accident.
