In a narrow escape, around 50 pilgrims, including children, from Uttarakhand were rescued on Sunday after the bus they were travelling in went up in flames after a road accident in Andhra's Srikakulam district.
The incident took place early Sunday morning at Ranasthalam in JR Puram police limits on National Highway 16 in Andhra Pradesh. According to the police, no casualties have been reported in the accident but around 10 passengers have suffered minor injuries.
Speaking to TNM, JR Puram Inspector Malleshwara Rao said, "The incident took place at Pydibimavaram. The tourist bus, travelling from Uttarakhand, hit a local bus which was taking a u-turn. The tourist bus then rammed into an ammonium lorry that was approaching from the other side. The collision seems to have triggered a short circuit.”
The sparks resulted in the bus catching fire and visuals show that the bus was completely burnt after the incident.
“10 pilgrims, including the driver, were rushed to RIMS in Srikakulam, where they are undergoing treatment,” the police said.
A case has been registered against the tourist bus driver for negligence and rash driving, the police added.
Police officers also stated that they are making alternative arrangements for the pilgrims to travel back to Uttarakhand.
Earlier, on Saturday, along the same national highway at Mandasa in Srikakulam district, five pilgrims from a family were killed in a road accident after their speeding car skidded off and plunged into a rivulet. All five deceased persons were identified as natives of Odisha's Berhampur. The incident took place while they were on their way back to Berhampur from Simhachalam Laxminarasimha Swamy temple after offering prayers there.
On Sunday morning, at least eight students were injured in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district after a lorry rammed into the bus that they were travelling in. According to reports, the incident took place at around 7.30 am on Sunday, when two buses with around 100 students in total, were returning to Anantapur from Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. The students had travelled to Kodaikanal on Friday for an excursion.