Three sisters returning from wedding, mother hugging her newborn: Victims of gruesome bus accident near Hyderabad

About 16 people among those who died were natives of Tandur. “I have lost three daughters. I don’t know how I will survive this,” said Yellaiah Goud of Tandur, whose wife, Ambika, cried her eyes out in front of a large crowd which had gathered in front of the Government Hospital, Chevella, on Monday afternoon.

“The three girls had come from Hyderabad, where they study, to Tandur on the weekend. They attended a wedding here. They were returning to Hyderabad colleges to attend their classes when the bus accident took place,” said Narasimha, a relative of the bereaved couple.

“The eldest daughter, Anusha, got married last month. The family was in high spirits when this happened,” Narasimha said.

Saliha Begum, 33, and her three-month-old baby boy were among those who died in the accident. A rescue worker, Savitri, told those who had gathered at the accident spot, “The mother was seen hugging the baby when the gravel was removed”. A relative of Saliha, Shaukat, said that she was on her way to meet her paternal grandparents, who are based in Hyderabad, when he accident took place.

The truck carrying the gravel was allegedly speeding at the time. The gravel fell on the passengers, who were buried alive. The bodies were recovered after an earth mover was called in to remove parts of the mangled bus.

N Hanumanthu, who missed a train to Hyderabad and later got on the bus, was among the dead. He is survived by his 10-year-old son, Vivek. “Within minutes, I could not see my father,” Vivek said, as he wept uncontrollably. The bus, which started from the depot at 4.30 am, had travelled for two hours when the accident took place, RTC authorities told The Indian Express.

The bus had been hired by the RTC from a private vendor and assigned a route, authorities said.