30 killed as TSRTC bus falls into valley in Telangana

At least 30 people died and several others were injured as a TSRTC bus fell from a narrow ghat road into a gorge at Kondagattu in Jagtyal district on Tuesday morning. The exact toll, however, is not clear as rescue and relief operations are still on.

The bus belonging to Jagtyal depot of the state-owned road transport corporation was on the way to Kondagattu carrying 62 pilgrims, when the mishap occurred. Senior officials have rushed to the spot and the bodies are being retrieved from the valley. Rescue workers are rushing the injured to nearby hospitals.

 

The victims were on their way to a hill top shrine when the mishap occurred. The shrine temple is dedicated to Sri Anjaneya Swamy, which is witnessing huge rush of pilgrims these days.

Kondagattu is famous for its Anjaneya Swamy temple which is a popular pilgrim spot. All the passengers in the bus were returning from Kondagattu after visiting the temple, it is learnt.

Senior district administration and police official rushed to the accident spot to over see rescue and relief operations. It is believed that the bus driver lost control while negotiating the road downhill when the accident happened.

According to reports, the bus overturned four times before it fell into the gorge. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has expressed grief over the incident. He directed officials to provide better medicare to the injured. Jagityal district SP Sindhu Sharma and district collector Sharath have rushed to the spot. Karimnagar in-charge minister Eatala Rajender has been directed by the chief minister to go the spot to oversee rescue operations.

Video – Manorama News

“The incident happened between 11.45 am and noon. At least 15 people have died in the mishap…20 others were injured and they have been shifted to different hospitals,” Jagtial District Collector A Sharat, who is supervising the relief and rescue work, told PTI over phone.

Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy said the government will provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families.

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