Eluru: In a horrific bus accident nine people including the bus driver were killed and several passengers were injured, when an APSRTC bus overturned into the Jalleruvagu rivulet near Jangareddygudem in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday afternoon. As per reports, there were 47 people on the bus, along with the driver and conductor at the time of the accident. There were five women among those killed.

The accident took place while the bus was on its way to Jangareddygudem in West Godavari from Aswaraopeta in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana. The bus driver apparently to avoid a lorry coming in the opposite direction on the narrow bridge swerved, lost control and hit the railing, and plunged into the Jalleruvagu rivulet. Locals who noticed the accident immediately informed the police were seen assisting in the ongoing rescue operations.

The fire department and district machinery were alerted and brought to the accident site. Eluru RDO Prasanna Lakshmi said that rescue operations are on and thirteen of the injured were sent to the Eluru government and Jangareddygudem Area hospitals. APSRTC Managing Director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao rushed to Jangareddygudem to supervise the rescue operations. While Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said the government would take care of the medical expenses of the injured persons.

West Godavari District SP Rahuldev Sarma while speaking to Sakshi TV said that they were in the process of retrieving the bus from the water as part of the rescue ops to check if any more people are trapped inside the bus. Divers have also been called to help in the rescue efforts to trace if any of the passengers were still in the waters. AP Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed anguish over the bus mishap. The state government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

Also Read: Jangareddygudem Accident: AP CM YS Jagan Announces Rs 5 Lakh Ex-gratia