20 Dead, 18 Injured in Truck–Bus Collision in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy District

At least 20 people were killed and several others injured when a gravel-laden lorry crashed head-on into a state-run RTC bus in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district on Monday morning, police said.

The accident occurred near Mirzaguda village in Chevella mandal when the lorry, travelling in the opposite direction, rammed into the bus from the Tandur depot, which was carrying around 70 passengers to Hyderabad. The impact was so severe that the truck toppled onto the bus, spilling its gravel load and trapping passengers underneath.

Among the dead are both drivers, several women and a 10-month-old baby along with its mother, officials confirmed.

Rescue teams used JCB excavators to clear the debris and pull survivors from the mangled bus. Many of the injured were rushed to the Chevella Government Hospital, while those in critical condition were shifted to Hyderabad. Police warned that the death toll could rise as several passengers remain in serious condition.

Most travellers on the bus were students and office-goers returning to the city after the weekend, officials said. Traffic on the Hyderabad–Bijapur highway came to a halt following the crash, causing long tailbacks along the Chevella–Vikarabad stretch.

A Chevella police officer said at least 15 passengers had been rescued so far, including the bus conductor. During the operation, Circle Inspector Bhupal Sridhar was injured after being hit by a JCB and was taken to hospital.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the tragedy and directed senior officials to oversee rescue efforts on the ground. He instructed authorities to shift all injured persons to Hyderabad for advanced treatment “without delay” and ordered relief measures on a “war footing.”

Preliminary reports point to overspeeding and loss of control by the lorry driver, though a formal investigation is underway.