14 killed, 40 injured in Andhra bus accident

Hyderabad, Jan 7:

At least 14 passengers were killed and 40 were injured when a bus slid down in a hilly area in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district Wednesday, police said.

The accident occurred Wednesday morning between Penukonda and Madakasira in Anantapur district, about 450 km from here.

The toll may go up as the condition of 13 of the injured is stated to be critical.

The bus belonging to the state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) was proceeding from Madakasira to Penukonda when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting an auto-rickshaw.

According to eye-witnesses, the bus slid and fell into a ghat area in the hills about 15 km from Penukonda town.

Police and civil officials rushed to the spot and launched rescue and relief work. The injured were shifted to hospitals in Penukonda, Anantapur and Bangalore.

Most of those killed are students. They also include two women and a police constable.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the accident. He directed ministers from the region to rush to the scene and supervise relief operations.

Leader of Opposition and president of YSR Congress Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has also expressed shock over the accident. (IANS)