Kondagattu mishap: Death toll rises to 61

Kondagattu (Jagtial): The death toll in Tuesday’ ghastly bus accident, one of the worst ever witnessed in the country, downhill Kondagattu has gone up to 61 on Wednesday. It may be recalled here that a TSRTC bus heading to Jagtial from Shanivarampet swerved off the ghat road and overturned into a 20 feet gorge killing 57 people.

Although it was reported that the bus was carrying 86 people, according to officials, the number is said to be 93. As many as 32 persons are being treated at various hospitals in Karimnagar and Hyderabad, it’s learnt. According to Jagtial RDO Narender, the death toll rose to 61. Meanwhile, the authorities closed the ghat road.

On the other hand, a pall of gloom descended on Shanivarampet, Himmatraopet, Tirmalapur, Ramsagar and other villages. It’s learnt that as many as 15 people died in the mishap alone from Shanivarampet.

It was agonising to see that quite a few bodies have been put amid ice blocks covered with paddy husk either due to non-availability of freezer boxes or lack of affordability. With some of their family members are in Gulf countries, they have been waiting for them for conducting last rites.

Conductor Parameshwar said that despite his words not to take the ghat road, the driver opted for it to reduce the journey by a few kilometers. The driver was also of the opinion that it would save fuel as well.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders Ponnam Prabhakar, V Hanumantha Rao, Telugu Desam leaders L Ramana and E Peddi Reddy, who inspected the accident site and consoled the families of victims, demanded the government to enhance the ex-gratia besides providing a job each to victims’ families. They also demanded a case against the State government. Further, they said that K Chandrashekar Rao has no moral right to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister.