Chinturu: A tragic accident on the Chinturu–Bhadrachalam ghat stretch claimed nine lives and left more than 23 people injured in the early hours of Friday, after a private tourist bus plunged into a deep gorge and overturned.
The incident occurred around 4 am near Tulasipakalu village, close to the Durga temple area, when the bus lost control on a sharp curve. Police said the vehicle, carrying a total of 37 people including the driver and cleaner, was returning from a visit to the Sri Rama temple in Bhadrachalam and heading towards Annavaram. The passengers were residents of Chittoor district who had undertaken a pilgrimage tour.
Officials said that dense fog in the hill section may have reduced visibility, preventing the driver from negotiating the steep curve. After veering off the road, the bus tumbled into the gorge and came to rest on a lower stretch of the ghat road.
Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar confirmed that nine people died on the spot, while 23 others sustained injuries of varying severity. Four of them are in critical condition. Six passengers escaped unhurt. Rescue operations were carried out by police, local authorities, and volunteers, following which the injured were rushed to Chinturu hospital and other nearby medical facilities.
A case has been registered at the Mothugudem Police Station, and officials said they do not expect the death toll to rise further. They added that the injured are receiving intensive medical care.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief over the accident and directed officials to ensure that the injured receive the best possible treatment. A government statement said that those hurt in the mishap have been shifted to various hospitals for specialised care and that relief efforts were initiated immediately. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed his condolences and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.