Prakasam tragedy: Bus carrying marriage party falls into Nagarjuna Sagar; 7 dead, many injured
Seven members of a marriage party were killed and many others injured after an APSRTC bus fell into Nagarjuna Sagar near Darsi in the Prakasam district.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 11 July 2023 3:50 AM GMT
Prakasam: Seven members of a marriage party were killed and many others injured after an APSRTC Indra bus fell into Nagarjuna Sagar near Darsi in the Prakasam district
Forty five passengers boarded the bus at 12:35 AM and some 15 minutes later when they had reached the outskirts of Darsi the accident occurred. The accident occurred after the RTC bus driver lost control while trying to avoid a collision with a private bus coming from the opposite direction.
Police suspect that the driver fell asleep and lost control of the vehicle. However, no official statement has been issued so far.
The incident happened on Tuesday early hours when the bus was going to Kakinada to attend a marriage reception.
The marriage was solemnized at the bride's place on Monday. Later 45 passengers boarded the bus at Pedda Masjid Center in Podili to attend the reception at the groom's place in Kakinada.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Aziz (65), Abdul Hani (60), Sheikh Rameez (48), Mulla Noorjahan (58), Mulla Jani Begum (65), Sheikh Shabeena (35), and Sheikh Heena (6) of Podili village.
The injured were immediately to a government hospital in Darsi. Prakasam district SP Malika Garg visited the accident spot. "As per initial reports, the reason for the deaths was suffocation as people who were seated in the front portion got crushed due to the weight of others from the rear portion falling on them. However, the driver and his assistant managed to survive. The survivors broke windows to free themselves," said the SP.
Police said that the bus also hit a pole before falling into the canal. The driver, who survived in the accident, said the steering stopped working and the brakes had also failed.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed grief over the incident. He asked the officials to provide better treatment for the injured. He announced to provide financial assistance for the families of the deceased.
Police have booked a case under IPC Section 304 and are investigating.
This is a developing story.
