56 killed as bus falls into gorge near Kondagattu

​Kondagattu (Jagtial): In a gory road accident, 56 persons were killed, and many others sustained grievous injuries when a TSRTC bus in which they were traveling fell into a gorge near Kondagattu, 180 km north of Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

The mishap occurred when a Jagtial depot bus packed to brim, said to be carrying 86 persons, was heading to Jagtial from Shanivarampet through Kondagattu ghat road. It is learnt that the driver lost control over the wheel while negotiating a narrow curve on the 1.5 km ghat road. The over-speeding bus overturned at least thrice before it fell into a gorge. Even though the gorge is just about 25 feet deep, the impact caused by over-speeding was such that all those inside the bus not only suffered injuries but also suffered shock and asphyxia leading to large number of casualties. As many as 25 persons died on the spot, according to eyewitnesses.

Speaking to The Hans India, Kondagattu temple assistant executive officer Srinivas said: “Instead of taking the scheduled route - via Nachupally and Thimmayapalle - the driver opted for the ghat road which turned out to be fatal.” It is learnt that the steep ghat road is not in ideal condition for motoring and has the history of witnessing quite a few accidents.

Incidentally, bus driver Srinivas, who also died in the mishap, received the ‘Best Driver’ award on the Independence Day. A majority of victims are from Shanivarampet and Himmath Nagar. The injured were admitted to the government hospitals in Karimnagar and Hyderabad. District Collector A Sharath and SP Sindhu Sharma rushed to the spot and monitored rescue operations.

Meanwhile, caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who expressed shock over the incident, extended his condolences to the families of those killed. While announcing Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of the deceased, he directed the district administration to provide the best medical assistance to the injured. Ministers K T Rama Rao, P Mahender Reddy, E Rajender, Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, who visited the accident site, comforted the victims’ families. Meanwhile, Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy suspended Jagtial bus depot manager Hanumantha Rao.

Reacting to the accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “The bus accident in Telangana’s Jagtial district is shocking beyond words. I am anguished by the loss of lives. My thoughts and solidarity are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover quickly.”

Twitter handle of President of India Ram Nath Kovind said: “Shocked to learn about the bus accident in Jagtial, Telangana. Thoughts with the bereaved families and those injured. I understand local authorities are making efforts to rescue and help passengers who have suffered.”