Chittoor Bus Accident Claims Eight Lives, Several Injured

CHITTOOR: In a tragic mishap that took place on Sunday morning, eight people lost their lives while 45 were hurt in a bus accident in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Preliminary reports suggest that the bus fell into the valley due to the negligence of the driver. Around 55 passengers who were from the same family were traveling from Dharmavaram in Anantapur district and were on their way to attend an engagement function in a village close to Nagari in the district.

The deceased have been identified as Rasool (driver), Malishetti Vengappa, Ganesh, Kantamma, Murali, Yashaswini, Adinarayana, and the bus cleaner.

As per reports, the bus (KL30 A4995) carrying a marriage party fell into a gorge at Bhakarapet Ghat near Chandragiri mandal in the district on Saturday night at around 10:30 pm. Initially, six people are said to have lost their lives, while 49 suffered severe injuries. The injured have been shifted to the nearest hospitals around Tirupati including RUIA, BIRD hospitals for treatment.

Malisetty Murali a silk shop owner from Maruti Nagar in Dharmavaram whose son Malisetty Venu (25) was going to be engaged to a girl from Narayanavanam near Putthur on Sunday. The family along with 55 relatives had booked a private travels bus to reach the place. After the bus crossed the Bhakarapeta ghat road and was moving towards Tirupati the vehicle lost control near the bend and fell into the 300 feet gorge. It is believed that the driver was overspeeding and was also not experienced enough to handle ghat road driving, resulting in the bus overturning and falling into the gorge.

Passersby who heard the injured passengers including women and children screaming for help immediately informed the Chandragiri police, who rushed to the spot and started rescue operations. A team of police, fire safety, and revenue department officials reached the spot and started rescue operations. As it was pitch dark it became difficult to see, apart from the rough terrain with rocks and thorny bushes hampering the rescue works. The bus which toppled and overturned was pushed up and the injured passengers were carefully brought out.  Officials had to use ropes and bedsheets to bring the victims up to the road and had a tough time bringing the wounded passengers from the gorge. Twenty ambulances were pressed into service to shift the victims to the hospitals.

Harshith Reddy son of Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy also reached the accident site and oversaw the relief efforts.  Tirupati Urban SP Ch Venkata Appala Naidu and Chittoor Collector M.Harinarayanan also reached the spot and supervised the rescue operations. State Panchayat Raj and Rural Development minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy inquired on the incident and instructed the officials to provide quality treatment to the injured at the hospital.

District Deputy Transport Commissioner M. Basireddy said that the cause of the accident was due to the driver's negligence as he could not gauge the bend on the road and went straight leading to the bus falling into the gorge. Malisetty Venu, the young man who was going for his engagement on the ill-fated bus said that despite requesting the driver not to drive fast, he paid no heed. 

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the incident and announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

Also Read: AP CM Expresses Shock Over Bhakarapet Bus Accident