Subhechcha Ganguly 
At least 24 people were killed and several others injured after a gravel-laden lorry collided head-on with a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus near Mirzaguda village in Chevella mandal of Ranga Reddy district on Monday morning, police said.
The bus, which belonged to the Tandur depot and was carrying around 70 passengers to Hyderabad, was hit by a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that the lorry overturned, dumping its gravel load onto the bus and trapping several passengers beneath.
Among the victims were both drivers, several women, and a ten-month-old infant along with its mother. Eyewitnesses described the scene as “heart-wrenching,” with locals rushing to rescue trapped passengers as cries for help filled the air.
Rescue teams, assisted by three JCB excavators, worked tirelessly to remove debris and pull survivors from the wreckage. The injured were shifted to the Chevella Government Hospital, while those in critical condition were moved to hospitals in Hyderabad. Officials fear the death toll may rise as several victims remain in serious condition.
Police said most passengers were students and office-goers returning to Hyderabad after the weekend. The collision caused massive traffic disruption on the Hyderabad–Bijapur highway, with vehicles backed up for several kilometres along the Chevella–Vikarabad stretch.
Chevella Circle Inspector Bhupal Sridhar sustained a leg injury during the rescue operation and was admitted to the local hospital.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep grief over the tragedy and directed Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao and DGP B. Shivadhar Reddy to ensure immediate rescue and relief operations. He ordered that all injured be shifted to Hyderabad for advanced treatment and instructed ministers and senior officials to personally oversee rescue efforts at the site.
“The district authorities have been directed to intensify relief operations and provide all necessary support on a war footing,” an official statement said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that overspeeding and loss of control by the lorry driver may have caused the collision. Police are continuing their probe to determine the exact cause of the accident.
