Ten passengers, including five women, were killed nad 26 others suffered injuries when an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus fell in a rivulet, near Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district, on Wednesday. The injured have been admitted to Jangareddygudem Government Hospital.
About 47 passengers were travelling by the bus that was coming from Bhadrachalam and proceeding to Jangareddygudem, said West Godavari Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma.
The accident reportedly occurred when the driver swerved the vehilce to avoid an oncoming vehilce and hit the railing and fell into Jalleru rivulet.
Jangareddygudem Revenue Divisional Officer Y.V. Prasanna Lakshmi will conduct an enquiry into the mishap, said Collector Kartikeya Sharma. “The bus was retrieved from the rivulet. Of the 26 injured, 17 were discharged and nine were undergoing treatment,” said Mr. Sharma.
The deceased havebeen identified as Podugupati Durgamma (55) of Taduvai village, Adamilli John Moges (52) of Gangavaram village, Sriramula Balamma (45), native of Thotapalli village, Undrajavarapu Sarojini (56) of Kothapalli village, Ketha Varalakshmi (50), Bodugu Satyavathi (56), Ch. Chinna Rao (46), bus driver, A. Madhu Babu (57) of Chinnaigudem and Sangeeta Somaraju, a native of Palem village in East Godavari district, and M. Nagamani.
Jangareddygudem Deputy Superintendent of Police B. Srinath said about five foot water was flowing in the rivulet.
APSRTC Chairman Mallikharjuna Reddy, Managing Director Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Joint Collector Himanshu Shukla and other officials visited the spot and monitored the rescue operations.
