55 killed after bus plunges into gorge in Telangana
new delhi — Fifty five people were killed in Telangana on Tuesday when a bus taking pilgrims from a temple plunged into a valley in Jagtial district, an official said, in the latest horrific crash on the country’s roads.
The bus belonging to the Telangana State Road Transport Corp (TSRTC) fell off Kondagattu Ghat Road while returning from Anjaneya Swamy temple atop Kondagattu Hills, about 190km from Hyderabad.
“We have pulled out the bodies and we are taking them to the hospital for autopsy,” B. Rajesham, a senior administrative official, said.
Passengers who survived the accident in Jagtial district of Telangana state were being treated for injuries. An investigation has been ordered.
The bus was returning from the famous Hindu temple of Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy when it skidded off the road.
Jagtial district Superintendent of Police Sindhu Sharma said the accident occurred around 11am when the bus was coming down from the hill and was to join the highway.
The driver apparently applied brakes at a speed breaker and the passengers who were standing fell onto one side, tilting the bus which then hurtled down after breaking an iron railing. Television footage showed local residents carrying the injured up a hill after pulling them out from the mangled bus.
Some rescuers climbed onto the bus and others tried to reach the injured through the front portion which was completely smashed.
“More than half of those killed were women, and there were at least three children,” local official G. Narendhar said. NDTV quoted witnesses as saying the driver was speeding and lost control of the vehicle.
Broken glass, slippers and luggage lay scattered next to lifeless
bodies that were lined up at the scene, as locals pulled out survivors from the mangled vehicle.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao expressed shock over the accident. He announced Rs500,000 ex-gratia each for the families of the dead. Accidents on India’s notorious roads claim the lives of more than 150,000 people each year.
Most accidents are blamed on poor roads, badly-maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
On July 28 a bus carrying university workers plunged off a mountain road into a valley in western India, killing 33 people.
That vehicle was taking staff from the Dapoli Agriculture University to a popular hill station in the state of Maharashtra for a picnic.
The same month 48 people were killed and many others badly injured in the north of the country when an overcrowded bus hurtled into a gorge in the Himalayan foothills. —