A major road accident took place on Bhakarapet Ghat Road in Chittur District of Andhra Pradesh Saturday night. Seven people were killed and 45 were injured after the bus carrying 50 members of a marriage party fell into a valley due to being out of control.
According to ANI, this accident happened in Bakrapeta, 25 km from Tirupati. As per SP Tirupati, the bus fell from the cliff into the gorge due to the negligence of the driver. The injured have been admitted to Sri Venkateshwara Ramachandra Ruia Hospital at Tirupati.
The AP government has announced 2 lakh ex-gratia for the bereaved family in the accident near Tirupati.
It is being reported that the members onboard the bus were going to attend an engagement ceremony on Sunday morning. The Bus was coming from Dharmavaram of Anantapur District and was heading to Tirupati. The Bus fell into a 100 feet pit. Medical teams rushed to the spot from Tirupati. About 45 people who sustained injuries were shifted to a nearby hospital, said SP, Tirupati.
It is also reported that the accident went unnoticed for nearly two hours as the bus was not visible in the dark. It was only when some travelers heard voices of the ailing members from the bus that the police were alerted. The rescue work was started by the police and nearby villagers with the help of torch and small lights as the surroundings were pitch dark.
This is not the first major bus accident in Andhra Pradesh this year. In February 2022, nine persons, including six women and two children, were killed in a tragic accident where a car and a truck collided at Budagavi village in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district.