A major accident involving a private school bus has left dozens of students injured in Telangana's Khammam district. The incident, which occurred on Friday, saw the bus overturn into a dry canal after the driver, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, lost control of the vehicle.
Chaotic Scene Near Ganeshpadu Village
The mishap took place near Ganeshpadu village when the bus, carrying around 60 students, suddenly veered off the road. According to students present at the site, the driver was drunk and fled the scene immediately after the crash. Local residents played a crucial role, rushing to the spot and pulling the children out of the overturned bus. The vehicle belonged to Vivekananda Vidyalayam, located in Maddulagudem of Vemsuru mandal.
Pre-Existing Glitches Ignored, Leading to Disaster
Investigations suggest the tragedy was preceded by clear warning signs. The bus was reportedly known to have technical problems. School authorities had even instructed the driver to get the faults repaired before the journey. Ignoring these directives, the driver proceeded to transport the students. The bus encountered further mechanical snags en route, which ultimately caused the driver to lose control, sending the vehicle tumbling into the dry canal.
All the injured students, numbering around 40, were promptly shifted to a private hospital in Thirupur village of the neighbouring NTR district in Andhra Pradesh for medical treatment.
Official Response and Calls for Accountability
Reacting swiftly to the alarming incident, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar directed Khammam District Collector D Anudeep to take stringent action against the school management. The minister emphasized that every injured student must receive proper medical care. He also issued instructions for the transport department to conduct regular and rigorous checks of all school buses to prevent such negligence in the future.
This accident has once again highlighted critical gaps in student transport safety, raising serious questions about the maintenance of vehicles and the accountability of both drivers and school administrations.
