KHAMMAM: A sleeper bus overturned near Gattugudem in Dammapeta mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district in the early hours of Tuesday, resulting in injuries to 12 passengers.
The bus, belonging to KVR Travels, was travelling from Rajahmundry to Hyderabad with 43 passengers when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
The injured were immediately shifted to the Dammapeta Government Hospital. Two passengers who sustained serious injuries were later referred to a hospital in Sattupalli for advanced medical treatment.
Most of the passengers were in deep sleep when the accident occurred. Responding promptly, passers-by broke open the windows and rescued passengers trapped inside the bus.
Upon receiving information, police rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to hospitals using police vehicles and ambulances. During a preliminary inquiry, the driver reportedly attributed the accident to brake failure.
Notably, the ill-fated bus bore an Arunachal Pradesh registration, indicating that the vehicle owner may have adopted this route to evade higher taxes in the Telugu states. Officials revealed that as many as 14 challans were already pending against the bus.
Some buses involved in recent accidents were found to have been registered in states such as Arunachal Pradesh, where vehicle registration taxes are substantially lower than in the Telugu states.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, buses operating with tourist permits are permitted to carry only tourists. However, in violation of the rules, private operators are allegedly running regular services by collecting fares from passengers.