Chintoor (Andhra Pradesh): At least nine people died, and 22 were injured after a bus fell off a road and turned turtle here in Alluri Sitaramaraju district in the early hours of Friday, police said.
They said the bus, which was headed to neighbouring Telangana from Chittoor, was carrying 37 people, including the driver and the cleaner. Six of them are safe.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Bardar said the accident occurred around 4:30 am on Chintoor-Maredumilli ghat road near a Durga temple.
The cause of the accident and the identities of the victims are being determined. Meanwhile, in another incident, at least 21 people hailing from Assam’s Tinsukia district are feared dead in an accident in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, officials said on Thursday.
According to the police, 22 persons, including the driver, hailing from Tinsukia district of Assam, were travelling in a minitruck which was plunged into a deep gorge on the Hayuliang-Chaglagam road in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district.
Mayank Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police of Tinsukia district, told ANI over the phone that, as per the information received from the authority of Arunachal Pradesh, 21 people were feared dead and one person survived. “All persons are hailing from the Tinsukia district of Assam,” Mayank Kumar said.
The truck reportedly skidded off the hilly road and fell into a deep gorge. The accident occurred on December 8. According to the reports, the people were travelling to Hayuliang for construction-related work.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a financial compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for the relatives of the deceased in the road accident. He also announced a Rs 50,000 grant for injured people.
PM Modi also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“Distressed by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. 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: PM,” said PMO.
