40 injured as bus rams truck, falls down bridge in Andhra

Forty individuals were injured, some critically, after a private bus crashed into a truck and tumbled from a bridge on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district early Sunday morning, according to police reports. The incident occurred near Pogururu village on the Pamidi mandal portion of NH-44 around 4 am when the Volvo bus operated by November Travels was crossing the Pogururu bridge.

The bus collided with an Eicher truck, causing both vehicles to plummet from the bridge and sustain significant damage. Police officer from Pamidi station confirmed that many passengers were trapped and cried out for help. The bus driver was among the seriously injured and was also trapped inside the vehicle. Local residents attempted to rescue trapped passengers while police, rescue teams, and an excavator arrived to initiate rescue operations.

The driver was eventually extricated after a prolonged effort using the excavator. Injured passengers were initially taken to Pamidi government hospital, with those suffering from serious injuries later transferred to the Government Hospital in Anantapur for further treatment. Around ten passengers were in critical condition, with at least three in a very serious state, according to the police.

Traffic was cleared, and a case has been registered under Section 125(A) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing injuries through rash and negligent driving. Authorities are conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause, considering factors such as driver error, speeding, and road conditions. Srinivasa Rao is the Senior Assistant Editor covering stories from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with over three decades of reporting experience.