Major mishap averted in Prakasam district

The lives of more than 40 people were saved by sheer luck when a travels bus lunges ahead to overtake a speeding lorry and lost control in Prakasam district on Sunday morning.

According to the details provided by the locals, passengers and police department, An Orange Travels bus of service number OTT - 145 is started at Hyderabad with 30 passengers to Nellore on Saturday night around 10PM. The bus is scheduled to reach the destination by 9.30AM on Sunday. By the time, the bus reach to Kopperapadu village in Ballikurava mandal in the early morning, the driver is speeding the bus at around 120 kmph and tried to overtake a lorry in front of it, which is not giving side to him for a while.

In the anxiety to successfully overtake the lorry, the bus driver didn't aware that few people are gathered at the road side tea shop in the village and mowed down a man, Shaik Saida and dragged him for a distance to kill him in the accident. As the brakes are applied suddenly, the bus halted with a jolt and inclined towards the side dry pit.

The passengers and the other villagers at the tea shop said that it is their luck that stopped the bus from over turning at that speed and saved their lives. The Ballikurava SI Y Nagaraju reached the spot immediately and helped the passengers to reach their destinations in alternate vehicles. He arrested the bus driver and started investigation of the case.