14 killed in Andhra bus fire, Prez condoles, PM announces ex gratia

In Andhra Pradesh, at least 14 people were killed and 23 injured after a private bus collided with a tipper and caught fire in Markapuram district on Thursday, police said. The hapless passengers were trapped inside the burning vehicle.  Markapuram SP V Harshavardhan Raju said, "Fourteen people died in the accident and 23 injured persons have been shifted to hospital, including the driver. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident." The private travel bus was heading to Kaligiri in Nellore district from Jagityal in Telangana, with around 35 passengers on board when the incident occurred. The tipper driver also sustained injuries in the accident and has been hospitalised. The accident occurred near Rayavaram around 6.30 a.m. when the bus collided with a tipper truck near a stone quarry. Both vehicles were completely gutted in the fire.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound shock and grief over the loss of lives. The CM spoke to officials to ensure that the injured were receiving adequate medical assistance. He directed officials to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the cause of the accident and submit a report. President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. “Deeply saddened to learn about the tragic bus accident in Markapuram district, Andhra Pradesh. I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. My thoughts and prayers are with them. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” Murmu said on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the loss of lives in the Andhra Pradesh bus accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the grieving families. In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, "The mishap in Markapuram district, Andhra Pradesh, is tragic. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest." "An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the statement further read.