CM announces Rs 10L ex gratia to kin of deceased, Rs 50,000 to injured victims
PNS|Ongole
In a major road accident, seven members of a marriage party were killed and 12 others were injured when an APSRTC bus in which they were travelling plunged into the NS canal after crashing into the railing near Darsi town in Prakasam district after midnight on Monday.
Police said a person named Siraj Mohammad hired an Indra bus of RTC to go to Kakinada from Podili to attend a marriage reception. He performed his daughter’s marriage in Podili on Sunday and was going to the bridegroom’s house in Kakinada for a reception to be held on Tuesday.
As many as 40 people were travelling in the bus when the mishap took place. The bus fell into the NS canal after crashing into the railing. The bride and bridegroom left for Kakinada in a car, relatives said.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Aziz (65), Abdul Hani (60), Sheikh Rameez (48), Mulla Noorzan (58), Mulla Jani Begum (65), Sheikh Shabeena (35), and Sheikh Heema (7). Casualties could have been more if the water level in the NS canal was high, officials said.
The bus was pulled out of the canal and the bodies were extricated from the ill-fated bus. The bus driver was drowsy at the steering wheel resulting in the vehicle veering off the road and plunging into the canal, officials said.
The injured were admitted to the RIMS hospital in Ongole. Poignant scenes were witnessed at the site of the mishap and at the hospital with wailing kin and relatives of the deceased.
Top officials including district Collector AS Dinesh Kumar, SP Malika Garg and ZP chairman B Venkayamma were among those who visited the scene of the mishap and consoled the bereaved families.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer expressed anguish and profound grief over the bus accident near Darsi town in Prakasam district in which seven persons were killed and several others were injured.
The Governor offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and wished for the early recovery of the injured persons.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed shock and grief over the death of seven persons at a marriage party. The Chief Minister directed the district officials to provide the best medical treatment to the injured and extend all required help to the victims. BJP state president D Purandeswari and Janasena chief K Pawan Kalyan also expressed shock and grief over the ghastly road accident and conveyed sympathies to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to each of the bereaved family, Rs 2 lakh to the critically injured and Rs 50,000.
