Amaravati, March 26 (H.S.): At least 14 people were killed and 23 others injured after a private travel bus collided with a tipper lorry and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district on Thursday, police said. Officials indicated that the death toll may rise as rescue and identification operations are still underway.

According to Markapuram Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju, several passengers were trapped inside the burning vehicle following the collision.

“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 SP said.

Police said the bus was travelling from Jagityal in Telangana to Kaligiri in Nellore district with around 35 passengers on board when the accident occurred.

The tipper driver also sustained injuries and has been hospitalised. Officials said verification of victims and passenger details is ongoing.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the loss of lives and directed officials to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.

The Chief Minister also ordered a detailed inquiry into the accident and sought a report on the cause of the incident.

Rescue teams are continuing operations and more details are awaited.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar