Hyderabad (November 3, 2025, 7:30 AM): In a horrific road accident that has shocked the nation, the death toll from a collision between a gravel-laden tipper lorry and a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus near Chevella in Rangareddy district has risen to 20, including a three-month-old infant girl. The incident, which occurred around 7:30 AM on the Mirjaguda-Khanapur road, has sent ripples of grief across the country, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express condolences via his X account and announce ex-gratia payments from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
The TSRTC bus, carrying over 50 passengers from Tandur in Vikarabad district towards Hyderabad since 5 AM, was struck head-on by the tipper lorry—loaded with gravel and reportedly traveling on the wrong side—while attempting to overtake a two-wheeler. The impact was devastating: the gravel spilled onto the bus, burying passengers under heavy debris and causing multiple fractures, facial, abdominal, and leg injuries. Both drivers perished in the crash, and rescue operations involved excavators to extricate trapped victims. As of now, 17 bodies have been recovered and identified, with ongoing efforts at the site.
At least 14 injured are receiving treatment at Patnam Mahendra Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences in Chevella, while three others are stable at the local Community Health Centre (CHC) and expected to be discharged soon.A senior Cyberabad police official confirmed the rising toll, stating, "We are removing the bodies and injured from the bus and shifting them to hospitals. Traffic has been diverted on both sides." Telangana Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha, IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu, and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar rushed to the hospitals and accident site, coordinating relief.
The state government has established a control room for updates and directed priority medical care as a health emergency. Prime Minister Modi, in a poignant X post, conveyed his deepest condolences: "The tragic road accident near Mirzaguda in Chevella mandal is heart-rending. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. From PMNRF, ₹2 lakh each will be given to the next of kin of the deceased. The injured will be given ₹50,000 each." Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed profound grief, instructing officials to ensure swift communication with victims' families. https://youtu.be/-gvI5owzJm8?si=bVxXrAwE-vYrXQQo
Telangana ministers, political leaders, and opposition figures like BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) have voiced sorrow, urging stricter road safety measures to prevent such tragedies. Preliminary investigations point to speeding and wrong-side driving by the lorry as key factors. The incident underscores the urgent need for better enforcement on highways, especially in high-traffic routes like the Hyderabad-Bijapur corridor. Rescue teams continue their work amid disrupted traffic, as the state mourns this preventable loss of lives.