Telangana Congress leader blames free rides for women for truck-bus collision that killed 20

Telangana Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao

Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Monday claimed that the accident, which left 20 people dead and several others injured in Telangana’s Rangareddy district, was a result of the free bus ride scheme for women, leading to overcrowding on public buses.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, “An accident occurred between a truck and a bus. After women were given free rides, they began to travel in large numbers on buses.”

Expressing grief, he said, “I express my deepest condolences to the families. The government should announce compensation. Such accidents are occurring due to speeding, and the government and police must take action, including issuing challans, to prevent further incidents.”

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: On the road accident in Rangareddy district of Telangana, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao says, "...An accident occurred between a truck and a bus. After women were given free rides, they are travelling in large numbers on buses... I express my… pic.twitter.com/4CxflPOV0y

— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2025

The comments followed a tragic road accident near Mirjaguda in Chevella, where a gravel-laden truck collided head-on with an RTC bus.

Rao urged the authorities to implement stricter safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.

PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to be given to the next of kin of each deceased individual. The injured individuals will be provided with a sum of Rs. 50,000, as per an official release.

Alongside, Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the families affected by the Rangareddy road accident will receive an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh from the government and Rs. 2 lakh from the RTC.

The officials said that the accident occurred when a tipper coming from the wrong side collided with the bus. The minister instructed RTC officials to reach the accident spot immediately.