Date:05/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/05/stories/2008030554480700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

4 killed as buses collide in Andhra Pradesh

Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR: Four passengers were killed and 34 injured, including the driver and conductor of two buses, when an APSRTC bus belonging to Kadiri depot hit a stationary bus belonging to Proddatur depot, near Vemareddypalli in the district in the wee hours of Tuesday. According to the police, the Proddatur depot bus, returning from Bangalore, broke down near the village.

The bus crew were making efforts to repair it after parking on the roadside. A few minutes later, another RTC bus belonging to Jammalamadugu depot, also returning from Bangalore, reached the spot. Its crew also chipped in to help their colleagues in repair work.

A few passengers of the Proddatur depot bus alighted and sat there to watch the crew carrying out the repair work. Sometime later, another RTC bus belonging to Kadiri depot, also returning from Bangalore, hit the bus under repair killing three of the passengers on the spot.

The persons who died were identified.Thirty-two persons and two crew members of the Kadiri depot bus sustained injuries. They were all rushed to the Kadiri hospital. The front portion of the Kadiri depot bus and the rear portion of Proddatur depot bus were badly damaged. Kadiri DSP N. Sainath, Nallamda CI D.V. Kishore, SIs of O.D.Cheruvu and Amadaguru, Ravindranath Reddy and Balachandar, supervised the rescue operations. Kadiri legislator J. Ramaiah alerted the revenue officials and the hospital authorities.