Hospital not equipped to handle war-like situation

HYDERABAD: The district hospital in Jagtial turned into an emergency medical centre with over three dozen injured admitted for treatment, and 57 bodies kept in the mortuary for medico-legal formalities. Scores of relatives of victims were seen wailing at the hospital turning it into a place of mourning.


The sudden rush of injured from such a road accident was a first for the small hospital. There was utter chaos and confusion at the mortuary and hospital casualty ward. The hospital was ill-equipped to meet the war-like emergency. But timely intervention by the state government provided much-needed relief to the injured. Superspeciality teams were rushed from Hyderabad to Jagtial.

All bodies were dumped in the small mortuary. Hundreds of people from nearby villages rushed to the district headquarters on hearing about the worst-ever bus tragedy. Jagtial town has never witnessed such a large crowd of mourners. Relatives of the deceased could be seen weeping inconsolably. The police and hospital staff had a tough time controlling the surging crowds of villagers.

Most victims were from Himatraopet, Sanivarampet and Dabbu Timmayyapalle villages. Some of the injured were rushed to Karimnagar district hospital. One of the victims was pregnant. Municipal minister KT Rama Rao and Nizamabad MP Kavitha were seen consoling relatives.

Police said 10 passengers are in critical condition. Some of the injured needed surgical intervention. Many had bones broken.

Anjanna, relative of deceased Golconda Devamma, resident of Dabbu Timmayyapalle, said driver Srinivas, who received commendation certificate from RTC authorities, took the wrong route to reach the highway. Villagers were also enraged over negligence of RTC authorities.

A pall of gloom descended on the seven villages on the Kondagattu temple-Jagtial main road. A large team of doctors and para-medical staff were attending to victims in Jagtial hospital. Commissioner of police VB Kamalahasan Reddy was supervising law and order.