The buses were transporting 109 students from the PMC Model School in Telangana, who were on their way back to Nalgonda following an educational excursion to the scenic Araku Valley. According to preliminary reports, the accident was triggered when the driver of the lead bus swerved sharply to avoid hitting a buffalo that had wandered onto the highway. The sudden braking and change in direction caught the driver of the following bus off guard; unable to decelerate in time, the second vehicle rammed into the rear of the first, causing a high-impact collision that sent shockwaves through the young passengers.
Local residents and commuters rushed to the spot to assist in the rescue operations before the police arrived. While the students escaped with abrasions and a few bruises, the impact was severe enough to trap the drivers in their cabins momentarily. Both drivers were subsequently rescued and rushed to the Rajamahendravaram Government Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment. The local police have since cordoned off the area to manage the resulting traffic congestion and have registered a formal case to investigate the mechanical state of the vehicles and the exact sequence of events leading to the crash.
This mid-highway mishap underscores the persistent dangers posed by stray livestock on Indian highways, a factor that continues to jeopardize road safety despite modern infrastructure. While the physical injuries to the students were fortunately minimal, the harrowing experience serves as a stark reminder of the thin margin for error during long-distance school commutes. As authorities probe the incident further, the focus remains on the urgent need for stricter highway patrolling and better animal management protocols to ensure that such educational trips do not end in near-fatal disasters.
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