RTC staffer and wife knocked down by Andhra bus on ORR

HYDERABAD: A 56-year-old RTC employee and his wife were knocked down by an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus on Outer Ring Road (ORR) at Pedda Amberpet on Thursday. The victim, Bokka Ranga Reddy, an RTC employee at Hayathnagar bus depot, was travelling on bike with his 49-year-old wife Bokka Vajramani.

According to police, an APSRTC bus, travelling from Vijayawada to Hyderabad, was overspeeding and hit their bike from the rear side. The victims fell from the bike and sustained severe head injuries. The couple died on the spot. “We are still unsure whether Bokka Ranga Reddy was wearing a helmet. Even if he was wearing a helmet, he must have not tied the straps,” said a police officer.

The APSRTC bus driver, KV Swamy (49), who works for Tuni RTC bus depot in Andhra Pradesh, was taken into custody and booked under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Following the incident, about 200 people, including the family members of the victims and RTC drivers, staged a protest at the accident site.

“The protesters demanded compensation from the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The traffic was affected due to the protest and had to be diverted. Meanwhile, the cops spoke to the victims’ family and the crowd was dispersed within an hour,” said Abdullapurmet inspector, S Devender.