At least nine dead, 22 injured as bus falls off road in Andhra Pradesh

They said the bus, which was headed to neighbouring Telangana from Chittoor, was carrying 37 people, including the driver and the cleaner. Six of them are safe.

Chintoor: At least nine people were killed and 22 injured after a bus plunged into a valley Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitaramarajud district on Friday.

The bus, was headed to neighbouring Telangana from Chittoor and was carrying 37 people, including the driver and the cleaner.

Six of them are safe.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Bardar said the accident occurred around 4:30 am on Chintoor-Maredumilli ghat road near a Durga temple.

"At least nine people died and 22 were injured as the bus fell off the ghat road. The bus did not fully plunge into the valley. It turned turtle... and got stuck," Bardar told PTI, adding that four of the injured are critical.

According to the officer, it is likely that the bus driver did not see a curve at the accident site, which falls in the Mothugudem police station area, due to heavy fog.

Bardar said the bus passengers were going to the Sri Rama temple in Telangana's Bhadrachalam from Chittoor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths of the passengers and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.

He wrote, "Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM"

(with PTI inputs)