A sixty-year-old person was killed and six others injured when a private bus in which they were travelling turned turtle on the Khammam-Kothagudem highway near Pallipadu village in Konijerla mandal in the early hours of Monday.
The speeding bus, heading towards Bhadrachalam from Hyderabad, overturned while negotiating an accident-prone sharp curve on the State highway between Laxmipuram and Pallipadu villages after its driver apparently dozed off and lost control over the wheels early in the morning, police sources said.
One of the passengers of the private travels bus died on the spot and six others suffered multiple injuries in the mishap. The remaining occupants of the bus including its driver received minor bruises, sources added.
The deceased has been identified as Chitti Babu, 60, of Tegada village in Charla mandal. He was returning from Hyderabad after buying new clothes for the upcoming wedding of his son, when tragedy struck him. As the fear-stricken passengers trapped inside the overturned bus screamed for help, some motorists passing through the highway alerted the 108 ambulance personnel over phone and helped the passengers come out.
Two 108 ambulances reached the spot and shifted the injured passengers to a hospital in Khammam.
The bus was crowded as several passengers bound for various destinations in neighbouring Bhadradri-Kothagudem district boarded the private vehicle in Khammam in view of the ongoing strike by the TSRTC staff, sources said.
A case has been registered against the driver at Konijerla police station and further investigation is on.
