E-Paper
25 injured in Andhra as bus rolls into 30-foot gorge
At least 25 injured as an APSRTC bus fell into a 30-foot gorge in Andhra Pradesh. Two victims are critical; rescue efforts were swift.
At least 25 people were injured when a state-run RTC bus fell into a 30-foot gorge at YSR district in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday morning, police officers aware of the matter said.
The incident took place at Namalagundu village near Pulivendula town at around 9am. “The injured have been admitted to the government hospital at Pulivendula. The condition of two victims is said to be critical,” a police official of Pulivendula police station said.
According to police, the “Palle Velugu” bus (meant for rural areas), belonging to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), was travelling from Kadiri in Anantapur to Pulivendula and was carrying nearly 30 passengers.
“As the bus reached the dumping yard at Namalagundu village, the driver applied brakes to prevent collision with another speeding vehicle coming from opposite direction. As a result, the bus swerved towards the left, skidded off the road and plunged into the 30-ft deep gorge, adjacent to the road,” the police official said.
The local villagers and other travellers on the road immediately alerted police. “With the help of local residents, we rescued all the passengers and the driver. Around 25 passengers sustained injuries and they were taken to the Pulivendula government hospital,” police said.
State legislative council member Bhumireddy Ramagopal Reddy and Pulivendula municipal chairperson V Varaprasad met the injured in the hospital.
