12 Dead After Bus Collided With Lorry And Caught Fire In Andhra Pradesh

Twelve people were killed after a private travel bus collided with a tipper lorry and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Markapuram district early Thursday morning, police said.

Police had earlier said that eight people were killed in the incident, with several passengers burnt alive

"Nearly eight people were burnt alive, and about 18 injured persons have been rescued so far and shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident," Markapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagraju told a TV channel, PTI reported.

The accident occurred around 6:00 am when the bus, belonging to Harikrishna Travels, was travelling from Nirmal in Telangana to Nellore. Following the collision, the bus caught fire, and several passengers were burnt alive, officials said.

District police authorities said around 20 injured passengers were shifted to nearby hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment. Officials expressed concern that the death count could rise.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the road accident. He conveyed his grief over reports that several passengers were burnt alive in the collision. The Chief Minister also spoke to officials and reviewed the situation, including the medical treatment being provided to the injured.

He directed officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident and submit a detailed report.

Meanwhile, IT Minister Nara Lokesh also expressed grief over the incident. He said it was very painful that many people lost their lives in the collision between the tipper lorry and the private travel bus.

Lokesh said instructions had already been given to officials to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. He added that the government would stand by the families of the victims in every possible way.

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.