The death toll in the Veldurthi accident increased to 16 with two more succumbing to injuries on Sunday.
Fourteen persons, 13 of them travelling by a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) and a two-wheeler rider, were killed on the spot on Saturday when they were hit by a private bus near Veldurthi in the district.
Of the 16 persons travelling by the MUV, 15 were killed and one person, identified as Vijay Kumar, was battling for his life at the Kurnool Government General Hospital. Besides head injury, Mr. Kumar also suffered a leg fracture, doctors said.
Except for Masum, the two-wheeler rider, who hails from Veldurthi, all others are from Gadwal district of Telangana. Meanwhile, the next of kin of the deceased and activists of the Telangana Mala Mahanadu staged a protest at the hospital mortuary demanding immediate announcement of ex gratia. They did not allow ambulances carry the bodies out of the hospital. “The Government of Telangana should immediately announce ex gratia to the next of kin of the deceased,” said one protester. When contacted, Kurnool district Collector S. Satyanarayana said ex gratia could not be announced as the model code of conduct was in force. “The government can announce ex gratia only after the election code comes to an end,” he said.
Jibe at KCR
MRPS president Manda Krishna Madiga visited the hospital and spoke to the bereaved family members.
Later, addressing the media, he accused the Telangana government of being negligent towards the SCs.
“Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has time and resources to attend a wedding. He has no time to console the victims of the road accident,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, and JSP president Pawan Kalyan offered their condolences to the bereaved family members.
