Telangana highway bus crash: Passengers on conductor’s side survived, driver’s side got crushed, recalls survivor; toll rises to 20

HYDERABAD: A survivor of the bus accident in Telangana’s Rangareddy district on Monday recounted how most passengers seated behind the driver were killed, while those near the conductor survived, as the death toll rises to 20.Recalling the incident, he said he had been dozing in the bus when a loud thud jolted him awake, leaving him half-buried in gravel.Speaking to the media, he said, “Several people were buried under the gravel. The tipper lorry came from the opposite direction. I was seated on the left side of the bus. We managed to climb out, but those who were sitting behind the driver couldn’t make it — some of them died. I was seated three rows behind the conductor."

He added that he opened a window and escaped, with six others following. Later, another person broke the window panes to help free more passengers.Doctors at the government hospital in Chevella said the victims suffered fractures and injuries to the face, abdomen, and legs. The injured were being treated with IV fluids and TT injections and were referred to major state-run hospitals in Hyderabad for further care.

Television visuals showed that half the bus was filled with gravel, trapping passengers inside. Authorities deployed heavy earth-moving equipment to clear the wreckage.According to police, Chevella Inspector Sridhar sustained minor injuries during the rescue operation when an excavator ran over his leg.