Pile of gravel takes out lives of 19 in bus-tipper lorry collision in Telangana

Hyderabad, Nov 3 (PTI) A mound of gravel fell on an ill-fated Telangana RTC bus after it collided with a tipper lorry at Chevella near here on Monday, resulting in the death of 19 people.

The front portion of the bus, especially the driver's side, was badly mangled following the collision at about 7 AM.

The tipper overturned on the driver's side, following which the gravel fell into the bus, leaving several passengers buried. Half of the bus was filled with gravel, trapping passengers inside.

Most passengers seated behind the bus driver were killed, while those behind the conductor survived the deadly accident.

The drivers of both vehicles died.

Recalling the horrific incident, a survivor said he was dozing in the bus when a loud thud jolted him awake, leaving him half-buried in gravel.

"Several people were buried under the gravel. The tipper lorry came from the opposite direction. I was seated on the left side of the bus. We managed to climb out, but those who were sitting behind the driver couldn’t make it — some of them died. I was seated three rows behind the conductor," he told mediapersons.

The authorities deployed heavy earth-moving equipment to clear the wreckage of the ill-fated bus.

Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed at the Chevella government hospital where the bodies and the injured passengers were brought in after the mishap.

Several persons were seen weeping inconsolably at the loss of their dear ones. One of them was Ambika, a resident of Tandur near Chevella, who lost three daughters in the accident.

In a tragic quirk of fate, the three sisters -- Nandini, Saipriya and Tanusha -- were killed in the accident, leaving the family distraught. The trio were college students in Hyderabad.

Nineteen people, including 13 women and a girl child, were killed and 22 others suffered injuries when the tipper lorry carrying gravel collided head-on with the Road Transport Corporation bus. PTI SJR GDK SJR KH