VIZIANAGARAM: A man and his daughter, were killed, and 12 others were injured in a road accident on Saturday when a private medical college bus from the Anil Neerukonda Institute of Medical Sciences rammed into a stationary lorry with a punctured tyre.
The incident occurred on the Visakhapatnam-Raipur National Highway near Madhupada village under Gajapathinagaram mandal in Vizianagaram district.
The lorry had its hazard indicators on to alert other vehicles of the issue. However, the bus driver lost control, leading to the mishap. The deceased have been identified as Subratho Roy, 33, and his daughter Mehak Roy, 3, from Koraput district in Odisha.
According to sources, the college had conducted a free medical camp in Koraput district on Friday and referred at least 40 patients for hospitalisation in Visakhapatnam for surgeries or other treatments.
The accident occurred while these patients were being transported to the Anil Neerukonda Institute of Medical Sciences in Visakhapatnam. The injured passengers were trapped in the bus for over an hour with no way to escape.
Upon receiving information from locals, Gajapathinagaram police rushed to the scene and initiated a rescue operation to free the passengers. At least five ambulances from different parts of Vizianagaram were dispatched to the site and transported the injured to the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Vizianagaram. Later, they were shifted to the Anil Neerukonda Institute of Medical Sciences for advanced treatment.
Eyewitnesses suspected that the bus driver collided with the stationary lorry due to poor visibility on the road and possible fatigue from lack of sleep.
MSME, SERP, and NRI Relations Minister Kondapalli Srinivas inquired with district officials about the incident and directed them to ensure proper treatment for the injured.