Volvo fire victims' families wait for relief

Demanding compensation and action against the bus owners responsible for their loss, families of the victims of the Bangalore-Hyderabad Volvo bus inferno at Palem village in Mahbubnagar district gheraoed the Transport Minister and PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana's residence on Saturday.

They were arrested after a scuffle with the police and shifted to Golconda police station where they sat on dharna, protesting against the manhandling of women and children at the gates of the minister's residence.

Expressing their anguish at the government's inability to mete out justice, they said that culprits are moving free when their beloved had been charred to death in the horrifying incident caused by the driver's negligence, as confirmed by the investigating authorities.

“What is the action against the driver and the bus owners who are out on bail within three days of accident,” demanded ISV Prasad,  father of Naga Shravanthi.

“Instead of arresting JC Prabhakar Reddy owner of the bus, and brother of Seema strongman JC Diwakar Reddy, the police are harassing us. Today is the “Masikam” (monthly anniversary) of our son, I was dragged and beaten by the women police while I am still mourning the loss of son,” Savithri, mother of M Phanikumar said.

The incident took place on October 30 near Palem,some 130 km from here, in which 45 passengers were burnt to their deaths.

 DNA tests were conducted to recognise them and hand over their bodies to the respective relatives. The association of private bus owners gave Rs 1 lakh each as compensation. However, here has been no such offer from the government so far.

As a fall out of the incident, nearly 700 private buses, of which 25 per cent are Volvos, were seized and had their licences suspended for violations by the RTA which conducted a fortnight long raid at checkposts.