Bus Accident
Bus accident. [Representational Image]Reuters File

At least 14 people died and 17 others were injured after a bus travelling from Hyderabad to Kakinada plunged into a canal from a bridge on the accident-prone stretch of the Hyderabad-Khammam highway in Telangana early Monday morning.

The injured were admitted to the Government General Hospital for treatment.

Seven people died on the spot and the others succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the hospital. The passengers belonged to the East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The bus, owned by private operator Yatra Genie, commenced its journey from Hyderabad at 11.30 p.m. on Sunday, Khammam Superintendent of Police Shah Nawaz Khan was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying.

The accident happened around 2.30 a.m. when the driver slammed the brakes to avoid a collision with another vehicle coming from the opposite direction on a bridge over Nagarjunsagar project left canal at Nayankangudem village in Khammam district, the daily reported. The bus hit the parapet wall of the bridge and nose-dived into the canal.

The driver of the bus was apparently driving at high speed due to which he lost control of the vehicle, following which it fell into the canal under Kusumanchi mandal, the Deccan Herald reported.

Travellers immediately informed the police who rushed to the accident scene and began the rescue operations,

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao expressed grief over the accident and instructed government officials to carry out rescue operations and provide the injured with the best treatment.

Naidu also announced a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and also spoke to the East Godavari district Collector Arun Kumar over the phone to enquire about the mishap.