Telangana tragedy: 16 dead, several injured in Chevella road accident

Hyderabad: At least 16 people were killed and eight others injured after a gravel-laden truck collided head-on with a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus near Mirjaguda village in Chevella mandal of Rangareddy district on Monday morning.

According to Chevella ACP B. Kishan, the RTC bus had started from Tandur and was headed towards Chevella when the truck, carrying gravel, rammed into it. “As per preliminary information, 16 people, including the truck driver and several passengers in the bus, lost their lives in the crash,” the officer said.

Rajendranagar DCP Yogesh Goutam stated that the truck was travelling in the right lane at the time of the collision. “We are investigating whether the truck driver was overtaking another vehicle or driving on the wrong side,” he said, adding that the impact caused the truck’s gravel load to spill over the bus passengers.

The accident occurred on the Bijapur Highway and emergency teams rushed to the spot to rescue trapped passengers. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, while traffic movement on both sides of the highway was diverted to facilitate rescue operations.

Chief minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and instructed officials to reach the site immediately and oversee relief efforts. In a post on X, the Telangana CMO said the chief minister directed the chief secretary and DGP to ensure the injured were moved to Hyderabad for better treatment. He also asked ministers present nearby to personally monitor rescue operations.

IT and industries minister D. Sridhar Babu also conveyed his condolences, terming the incident “deeply tragic.” He said he had directed district and police officials to expedite rescue operations and submit a detailed report on the cause of the crash and the condition of the victims. The minister further instructed health officials to provide the best possible medical care to the injured and ensure that their families were kept informed.

Chevella Police confirmed that the collision between the TSRTC bus and the truck occurred near Khanapur Gate early in the morning. “Rescue teams are on site and further details will be shared after verification,” officials said.

(with inputs from agencies)