At least 13 people were killed after a private passenger bus collided with a tipper lorry and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district early Thursday morning, police said.
Police had earlier put the death toll at eight, saying several passengers were burnt alive in the blaze, reports NDTV.
According to NDTV reports citing PTI “Nearly eight people were burnt alive, and about 18 injured persons have been rescued so far and shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident,” Markapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagraju told a TV channel.
The accident took place around 6am when the bus, operated by Harikrishna Travels, was travelling from Nirmal in Telangana to Nellore. Following the collision, the vehicle caught fire, leaving several passengers trapped and burnt alive, officials said.
District police authorities said around 20 injured passengers had been taken to nearby hospitals, where they are receiving treatment. Officials warned that the death toll could still rise.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident in Andhra Pradesh and announced financial assistance for the victims’ families, including Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
