Private Bus Falls From Bridge in Anantapur, 23 Injured

A private bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru plunged off a bridge near Pamidi in Anantapur district after colliding with a light commercial vehicle (LCV) in the early hours of Sunday. The accident left 23 of the 34 passengers injured, with some reportedly sustaining serious injuries. The remaining 11 passengers escaped without injuries.

The crash occurred at around 4 a.m., within the Pamidi police station limits, about 9 km from Gooty. The impact was so severe that both the bus and the LCV fell from the bridge onto the ground below.

According to the preliminary investigation, the highway is divided into separate bridges for traffic moving in opposite directions. Although the road is relatively wide, it narrows by nearly two feet near the bridge, creating a potential hazard for vehicles approaching the structure.

Police said the LCV driver apparently failed to notice the narrowing of the road and hit the protective barrier on the left side. The driver then reportedly swerved sharply towards the right, at which point the bus, travelling behind the LCV, crashed into it. The collision sent both vehicles over the bridge.

Police personnel and local residents rushed to the spot soon after the accident and launched rescue operations. Injured passengers were pulled from the damaged bus and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A case has been registered and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances leading to the crash. Officials from the Motor Vehicles Department also inspected the accident site and examined the damaged vehicles as part of the inquiry.