34 killed as bus plunges into valley in Telangana

At least 34 passengers, most of them women, were killed and several injured after a state-run bus plunged into a valley in Telangana's Jagtial district Tuesday, police said.

Around 50 people were travelling in the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus when it skidded off a ghat road near Shanivarapet village, about 200 km from Hyderabad.

Most of the victims were women, police said, adding, the injured had been rushed to hospitals in Jagtial and the neighbouring Karimnagar district.

"As of now, 34 people have been killed. The toll may go up," IGP (North Zone) Y Nagi Reddy told PTI.

The bus was proceeding from Kondagattu to Jagtial.

Telangana Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed shock over the accident and announced financial assistance of Rs five lakh to the family of each deceased.

He also asked officials to provide immediate medical assistance to the injured, a CMO release said.

The accident occurred between 11.45 am and noon, Jagtial district Collector A Sharat, who is supervising the relief and rescue work, told PTI over phone.

Expressing grief over the loss of life in the mishap, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased.