Pilgrims’ journey meets tragic end, balm of condolence applied to gaping wounds

HYDERABAD: Soon after the bus carrying 88 passengers fell down the Kondagattu ghat road, district officials rushed to the spot and took up rescue and relief operations. Bodies were retrieved from the valley and shifted to Jagtial government hospital for identification and post-mortem examination. The police have identified 45 of the victims. Most of the victims were women and above 40 years.


The state government announced an ex gratia of ?5 lakh each to the kin of victims. The TSRTC also announced compensation of ?3 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. IT minister KT Rama Rao supervised the relief operations. The critically injured were shifted to Hyderabad and Karimnagar for better treatment.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and several leaders expressed grief.

Modi called the tragedy “shocking beyond words”. “The bus accident in Telanganas Jagtial district is shocking beyond words. Anguished by the loss of lives. My thoughts and solidarity with the bereaved families. I pray the injured recover quickly,” Modi tweeted.

Some of the passengers were returning from the hill shrine of Sri Anjaneya Swamy. Earlier, KCR directed officials to provide better medicare to the injured. District in-charge minister Eatala Rajender was asked to rush to the spot and as the toll mounted other ministers including transport minister Mahender Reddy too visited the accident spot and hospital in Jagtial.

Jagtial district superintendent of police Sindhu Sharma and district collector Sharath swung into action soon after the mishap. RTC authorities have suspended Jagtial depot manager Hanumantha Rao. District authorities opened a temporary helpline (phone No 8004254247). Mahender Reddy reached the spot in a chopper from

Vikarabad

and ordered officials to conduct an inquiry. He promised strict action against those at fault.