Bodies Moved in Trucks After Chevella Accident

Hyderabad: The aftermath of Monday’s Chevella bus accident once again revealed a distressing pattern across Telangana — the bodies of crash victims being transported in trucks and lorries instead of authorised mortuary vans. While 108 ambulances rushed the injured to Chevella government hospital, the bodies were moved in goods vehicles arranged by the police. “Ambulances are for the injured. Once deaths are confirmed, we use any available vehicle to clear the scene,” said a Moinabad police official overseeing the post-mortem formalities. “We must remove the bodies quickly to avoid traffic pile-ups,” he explained.

According to Srikanth, programme manager for 108 emergency services in Ranga Reddy district, six vehicles were initially arranged from nearby locations — Moinabad, Shankarpally, Chevella, Shabad and Poduru — followed by 16 more from Hyderabad. “Twenty-three injured were taken in 108 ambulances. The deceased were shifted in available vehicles as the site needed to be cleared swiftly,” he said, adding that one family arranged a private ambulance.

Such scenes have become common across Telangana. In August 2025, police in Narayanpet district were filmed transporting a road accident victim on a pushcart after an ambulance failed to arrive, sparking outrage and debate on emergency coordination.

Experts say the issue lies in planning and awareness as much as in logistics. “The lack of dignity at accident sites is painful. Families often watch videos of their loved ones’ bodies handled like cargo,” said Ravi Teja, a city-based NGO volunteer. “India has a strong ambulance network for the injured, but no structured system for the deceased. It’s still left to police discretion, which is why tractors and lorries are often used.”

Officials admit that a shortage of mortuary vans, especially in rural and semi-urban stretches, leaves first responders with few options. National Disaster Management Authority guidelines specify that ambulances should prioritise the injured, while hearse vans transport the dead — but in practice, police and locals rely on any available vehicle.

The recurring images of bodies being loaded into open trucks reflect not just a gap in infrastructure, but in empathy. Monday’s Chevella crash adds to that grim list, underscoring how Telangana’s emergency response system continues to struggle to balance urgency with dignity. Without better coordination between police, health, and civic departments, the state risks repeatedly erasing respect in death along with order on the roads.