VIJAYAWADA: Four passengers, out of 40 aboard a bus belonging to a private operator, were injured after the bus turned turtle near Pydurupadu village under Vijayawada in the wee hours of Friday.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kanthi Rana Tata, the bus was bound for Hyderabad from Vizag. The accident happened when bus driver Kiran Kumar took the route via Pydurupadu village as a shortcut to reach Hyderabad national highway at Ibrahimpatnam.
While taking a sharp left turn, Kiran could not control the speed of bus which subsequently turned turtle. “Normally, vehicles do not ply on this track. Instead of this route, he should have taken the route from Jakkampudi layout to Gollapudi Y junction via the level crossing,” said the DCP. It is being alleged that the bus belongs to Omar-Kaleswari Travels, the same operator whose bus had a narrow escape from falling into Eluru canal at Seethannapet gate centre on December 10.
The passengers, who were in deep sleep, called for help and broke emergency exits. Villagers rushed to the spot on hearing the passengers scream. The four injured were admitted to a nearby private hospital where they were given first aid. They were later discharged and another bus took all the passengers to their destination. Passengers further claimed they escaped from falling into a 10 feet pond. “Just a few metres away, there is a 10-feet-deep pond. A tree prevented the bus from falling into it,” said bus passengers.