Telangana: Train collides with bus; 18 school children killed, 12 severely injured

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Hyderabad: Eleven school children, including a bus driver were killed when a bus carrying 40 students collided with Nanded Express at an unmanned railway crossing near Medak in Telangana. 

Confirming the incident, DIG N Suryanarayana said that 12 people including 11 children were killed in Telangana's Medak district in train-school bus collision. 

The DIG said that 16 others have been grievously injured. The injured school children have been rushed to Hyderabad for medical treatment. 

The children were the students of Kakatiya Techno School. 

Reports say that it was the first time the school bus driver took the particular route to reach the school in a hurry. 

Meanwhile, a Railway official source said that there might be a possibility that the accident happened as the bus driver was in hurry as he was supposed to reach the school at 9:15 am and the accident occurred at around 9:05 to 9:10 am. 

The Railway official blamed the bus driver for the accident. 

Railway CRS (commissioner railway safety), South central railway DRM and Hyderabad zone officials visited the accident spot. 

The impact was huge as the bus which was travelling from Islapur to Toophran in Medak district was completely damaged. 

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured students. 

Telangana Home Minister Naini Narsimha Reddy expressed his condolences and said a thorough inquiry will be conducted. 

"It is a sad incident. A thorough inquiry will be conducted and action will be taken against those responsible." 

There are 12582 unmanned railway crossings across the country and there has been a huge debate going on over safety issues in the railways sector, however, not much has been done to improve the condition. 

Narendra Modi government, while presenting its maiden Railway Budget this year had emphasised on improving the infrastructure.