9 people killed after APSRTC bus falls into stream in West Godavari
In a tragic incident, a total of nine people including the bus driver died and several passengers were injured, after an APSRTC bus overturned into a Jalleruvaagu.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 15 Dec 2021 8:44 AM GMT
West Godavari: Nine people, including the bus driver, died and several passengers were injured after an APSRTC bus fell into a stream near Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district on Wednesday. Among the nine killed, five are women.
Forty-seven people were on the bus that was going to Jangareddygudem in West Godavari from Aswaraopeta in Bhadradri Kothagudem. Sources said the accident allegedly happened when the driver tried to dodge a lorry coming in the opposite direction and lost control. The bus fell off the bridge, 30-feet below into the Jalleruvagu stream.
Nearby fishermen and passers-by rescued some passengers but nine had already died by then. The bus driver, Chinna Rao, was among the dead. All the bodies were extricated from the ill-fated bus. So far four victims, including the driver, have been identified ā P. Durga, Varalakshmi, and A. Madhubabu. The service conductor sustained a hand fracture and the injured persons were shifted to the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Jangareddygudem.
The police said the death toll may go up once the bus is lifted out of the water. West Godavari district superintendent of police Rahuldev Sarma visited the spot and said rescue operations are underway to see if anyone is trapped or drowned in the stream.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced Rs. 5 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of the victims. The district collector has been directed to take necessary steps to provide better treatment for those injured in the accident.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Telugu Desam Party chief and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed their grief over the deaths of the nine passengers.
