Grief Grips Families As Markapuram Victims’ Bodies Handed Over
The victims were killed in a collision between a private travel bus and a gravel-laden tipper lorry near Rayavaram in the early hours of Thursday.
NELLORE: Heart-rending scenes unfolded at the government hospital in Markapuram on Saturday as the bodies of 14 victims, who died in a devastating road accident, were handed over to their families after DNA confirmation.
The victims were killed in a collision between a private travel bus and a gravel-laden tipper lorry near Rayavaram in the early hours of Thursday. Of the deceased, eight were men and six were women, including 12 adults and two children.
Following post-mortem procedures, the bodies were preserved for forensic identification. DNA reports received on Friday night enabled authorities to begin the handover process on Saturday under the supervision of joint collector Puli Srinivasulu, DRO Chinna Obulesu, district medical and health officer Dr Vanishree and DSP U. Nagaraj.
Grieving families broke down as they received the mortal remains of their loved ones. Ambulances were arranged to transport the bodies under police escort to their native places.
In a poignant appeal, the children of victim Bandaru Padma urged officials to deposit government compensation directly into their bank accounts. Their grandmother expressed concern that the children’s father, allegedly addicted to vices, might misuse the funds. The family submitted a representation to the joint collector seeking safeguards.
Emotions ran high as relatives of 36-year-old Prabhavathi and her six-year-old adopted daughter Chaithra mourned inconsolably. In another case, the sister of Ambati Anil, who died along with his five-month-old child, urged the government to strengthen public transport and reduce dependence on private operators.
A youth, Srihari, said he lost his sister Rukmini, who was five months pregnant, and his grandmother Pichhamma in the accident, while his brother-in-law remains critically injured. “My mother lost her mother and daughter,” he said, adding that he could not even identify their remains and would seek justice against the bus management.
