6 charred to death as bus catches fire after hitting truck in AP

Six persons were charred to death when a private travels bus hit a dumper truck near Chilakaluripeta in Palnadu district, resulting in a fire, a police official said on Wednesday.

The mishap occurred around 1 am on Wednesday when the bus veered towards the truck to its extreme right and hit it at Pasumarru, police said.

"Four men including the drivers of the bus and the truck, a woman and a minor girl died," the official told PTI.

Among the dead were an eight-year-old girl, her grandmother and grandfather and another passenger while 20 injured passengers were admitted to a hospital.

"We got the information through some people about the incident. We alerted ambulances and fire tenders. When we reached the spot, the bus was engulfed in flames," a police official told TV channels.

According to police, the passengers belonged to Chinnaganjam area and were returning to Hyderabad after casting their votes in the elections in the state.

Meanwhile, police registered a case under IPC Sections 304 A and 337 A, the official added.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer and state BJP chief D Purandeswari expressed their condolences over the loss of lives in the accident.

"Nazeer has expressed profound grief and anguish over the road accident that took place near Pasumarru village in Palnadu district, in which six people were killed," a press release from the Raj Bhavan said.

The Governor offered his condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased and instructed officials to provide better treatment for the injured persons.