Markapuram: Thirteen people died on the spot and 25 others were injured when a Telangana-bound bus went up in flames after colliding with a gravel tipper near Rayavaram in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh in the wee hours on Thursday.
Markapuram District in-charge collector P. Raja Babu, while giving details of the initial toll, said: “Out of 41 passengers in the bus, 13 persons died on the spot. Among 25 injured persons admitted in Government Hospital in Markapuram, 10 suffered severe injuries and five were in critical condition. The five critical persons will be shifted to Guntur GGH.”
According to police, the collision occurred at a sharp turning point between 5:30 and 6 am, when the bus — travelling between Nirmal in Telangana and Vinjamuru in Nellore district — crashed into a gravel-laden tipper from Kanigiri. Three fire engines were pressed into service to douse the flames.
The bus driver reportedly told investigators that the steering wheel jammed, though authorities are scrutinising this version.
Markapuram and Nellore districts have activated control rooms for updates and assistance: Markapuram (6304285613, 9985733999, 7989537285, 9703578434); Nellore (7995575699, 08612331261).
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu convened a teleconference with senior officials and ministers. He directed them to extend the best possible medical care to the injured and announced adequate compensation to the families of the deceased and injured passengers.
Ordering a thorough investigation into the accident, Naidu offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and assured full support from the state government.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the grieving families. “The mishap in Markapuram district, Andhra Pradesh, is tragic. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) posted on X.
