A school bus carrying 50 students overturned after hitting a culvert in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district on Monday morning. The incident occurred in Veldurthi mandal as the children were on their way to school from Uppalapadu village. The children, who belonged to Krishnaveni talent school, were admitted to the Government Area Hospital in Macherla. At least 15 students were injured in the accident.
Visuals of the accident showed the bus lying on its side with a large number of locals gathered around it. Some media reports suggested that the driver of the bus was reportedly drunk at the time of the accident. Others said that he was driving the vehicle on the wrong side of the road. While the police have detained the accused and are questioning him, they did not comment on whether or not he was inebriated.
Speaking to TNM, A Venkateshwarlu, Circle Inspector from the Macherla Police Station said, "Two kids are grievously injured and have been referred to a private hospital. Ten students have already been shifted and are availing treatment at other private hospitals, while four students are still admitted at the Government Area Hospital in Macherla. The police are still at the spot of the accident and investigation is ongoing."
Further details are awaited.
In March 2017, at least thirty children were injured after a bus overturned and fell into a stream in Andhra's Prakasam district.
The accident happened near Pedda Alavalapadu. According to reports, the bus was carrying more than 70 students who were returning from an excursion. Seventeen students were rushed to hospitals in Ongole.
The students were from a school in Karedu village and they had reportedly visited tourist spots in Kurnool district, before heading back. The police immediately rushed to the spot at the time, after learning about the accident and provided first aid, before shifting the injured students to nearby hospitals.