Overspeeding one of the reasons for the bus accident at Paderu in Andhra Pradesh, say police

‘The driver, while trying to negotiate some tree branches, had gone to the extreme right side of the road’

The RTC bus which fell into a gorge on the ghat road near Paderu in Alluri Sitharama Raju district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

The Paderu police have found that RTC bus driver’s negligence is one of the reasons behind the road accident on the ghat road, which led to the death of two elderly persons and causing injuries to 29 persons in Alluri Sitharama Raju district

In general, most of the road accidents on the ghat roads of Agency areas take place while coming down the hill. However, this road accident occurred while the bus was heading from Chodavaram to Paderu (uphill)

Superintendent of Police Tuhin Sinha said that overspeeding by the RTC bus driver was one of the reasons for the accident. The driver was also trying to negotiate some tree branches that normally protrudes over the road during the monsoon season and had gone to the extreme right side of the road. He was allegedly not able to control the speed resulting in the accident.

Paderu police have booked cases under Section 304 (A) of IPC for the driver’s overspeeding and negligent act.

The Paderu police have also sought help of a Motor Vehicle (MV) Inspector to check whether there were any issue with the brakes.

Meanwhile, a team of APSRTC officials have also visited the accident site to assess the reasons.

The RTC bus going from Chodavaram to Paderu fell into a gorge which was about 100-foot deep near Modakondamma Padalu area under Paderu police station limits at around 3.30 p.m. on Sunday. Of the 36 passengers in the bus, two elderly persons Narayanamma and Kondanna died, while 29 persons suffered injuries. Of the injured, the condition of one is said to be critical and has been shifted to a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment.

It took nearly an hour for the Paderu Circle Police and the revenue staff to undertake the rescue operations.

Sub-Inspector of Paderu police station Narayana Rao said that as on Monday, six persons were being treated at Paderu hospital, while five are being treated in a private hospital in Visakhapatnam, while the others were discharged.