A tragic accident occurred on Monday when a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus collided head-on with a gravel-laden tipper near Indira Reddy Nagar in Mirjaguda, resulting in 19 deaths and multiple injuries. In a statement, TGSRTC expressed deep sorrow over the incident involving its PHB Express bus operating from Tandur to Hyderabad. Following the tragedy, the Telangana government announced Rs 5 lakh compensation from the state and Rs 2 lakh from TGSRTC—totaling Rs 7 lakh for each deceased victim’s family—along with Rs 2 lakh for each injured person.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the TGSRTC bus and its driver were not at fault. The bus had valid fitness and insurance certificates. The accident occurred when the tipper, speeding with a heavy gravel load, lost control in a known accident-prone area and toppled onto the bus. TGSRTC conveyed its condolences to the victims’ families and assured full cooperation in the investigation and support for the injured. The tipper, traveling from Lakdaram to Manneguda, reportedly tried to overtake several vehicles before colliding with the bus. The crash caused severe damage, with gravel spilling into the passenger area, trapping many and leading to deaths from suffocation and injuries.

Among the deceased were both drivers—RTC driver Dastagiri (37) and the tipper driver—along with five men and 14 women. The bodies were sent to Chevella Government Hospital for post-mortem, while 25 injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Chevella and Vikarabad for treatment. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, along with senior TGSRTC and government officials, visited the site, supervised rescue operations, and met with the victims’ families. IT Minister Sridhar Babu and local MLAs also visited the site and hospitals. Senior TGSRTC officers, police, and district officials coordinated prompt rescue and relief efforts on the ground.