Seven killed, eight injured as private bus rams into auto in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu

Seven people were killed, and eight others sustained grievous injuries when a private travel bus rammed into an auto-rickshaw at Addaroad Centre in Chilakaluripet town of Palnadu district in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the police, 15 persons, including four children, nine women and two men hailing from Veluru village in Chilakaluripet mandal were travelling in the auto-rickshaw to Konda Manjuluru village in J. Panguluru mandal of Prakasam district, after attending a birthday celebration.

While returning to Veluru, the auto was taking a turn at Addaroad Centre when a private travel bus travelling from Vijayawada towards Tirupati collided with it.

Four people died on the spot, while another person died while undergoing treatment at the Chilakaluripet Government Hospital. Two more people succumbed to their injuries at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Guntur.

The deceased have been identified as Bontha Babu Rao, 62; Bontha Manemma, 55; Bontha Sampurnamma, 70; Choutupalli Laksmamma, 75; Bontha Gangamma, 50; Sowtupalli Suvartha, 45; and Bontha Mariyamma, 45. All the deceased were residents of Veluru village.

The injured have been identified as Talluri Venkayamma, 50; Choutupalli Dhanalakshmi, 30; Talluri Abhiram, 6; Choutupalli Subbulu, 60; Bontha Arun Kumar, 40 (auto-rickshaw driver); Bontha Samuel Babu, 6; Bontha Pallavi, 12; and Bontha Divya, 7.

While Mr. Arun and Ms. Subbulu were undergoing treatment at the GGH in Guntur, Dhanalakshmi is being treated in Chilakaluripet. The remaining passengers returned home, said Talluri Kishore, a relative of the auto driver Arun.

He said all of the victims are relatives, adding that the accident might have occurred between midnight to 1 am on Thursday.

Chilakaluripet Urban Circle Inspector Ramesh and Narasaraopet Deputy Superintendent of Police Hanumanth Rao inspected the accident site. The police registered a case and launched an investigation.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer expressed profound grief. In a statement issued from Lok Bhavan, he offered condolences to the bereaved families.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief and directed officials to provide the best possible healthcare services to the injured.

Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan suggested that verification be done of all private buses and stringent action be taken in case of violations.

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha enquired about the severity of the accident, casualties and relief measures. She ordered a comprehensive probe into the circumstances leading to the accident.

IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh said the government would stand by the victims’ families in every possible way.

Calling the accident tragic, Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy urged the poeple to follow road safety rules.

YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed grief and urged the authorities to provide the injured with immediate and advanced medical treatment.