Kondagattu bus accident victims stage dharna, urge CM to fulfill promise

WARANGAL: Ahead of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s visit to Jagtial district on Wednesday, the survivors and families of victims of the Kondagattu bus accident sat on a dharna on Monday, demanding that the government fulfill the promise of help by giving them jobs.

The dharna was held at the Ambedkar statue in the mandal headquarters in Kodimyal in the district.

On September 12, 2018, a TSRTC bus carrying devotees returning from the famous Kondagattu Hanuman temple fell into a valley from a ghat road, killing 65 persons. While 24 died on the spot, 41 others died while undergoing treatment in hospitals. Many had received injuries.

The TRS government had promised the family members of the deceased as also the injured that it would extend help to them and provide government jobs.

Family members of the victims and those who survived the mishap said at the dharna site that they were facing a lot of hardships and had received no support from the government. “Some of the victims who lost their limbs are living in miserable conditions without getting even the disabled pensions for the past four years,” they said.

Victims said the government had promised to pay compensation and provide jobs for each of the families who lost their dear ones. But neither the Chief Minister nor any minister had visited the victims' houses and they did not fulfill the promises.

“Several children became orphans as they lost both their parents. The government should allot double bedroom houses, pensions to those who became disabled in the accident. Jobs must be provided to educated youths who lost their parents,” the protesters demanded.

The victims who spoke were Goli Madhu, Golconda Raju, Amarnath Reddy, Md Subhan and Cherla Chandrashekar. BJP leaders present at the dharna were Ravinder Reddy, Muthyam Reddy, Surugu Srinivas, Ganga Rao, Narasimha Reddy and Srinivas Chary.