The mangled remains of the school bus that collided with the Nanded-Secunderabad Express near Masaipet in Medak in Telangana. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: The mishap occurred at around 9.10 am and the train was delayed by five hours. The estimated speed of the train is said to be around 80 kmph and the section has speed permeability up to 100 kmph.

Read: Train smashes school bus in Telangana, 14 children die

Hyderabad Zone inspector-general of police K.V. Rajendranath Reddy said, “Total causalities are 16, including 14 students and driver Bhikshapathi Goud of Veluru, and helper A. Ramesh of Ghanapur. Around 20 students were admitted to Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad and are being treated. The condition of three of the students is critical,”

Read: Telangana school bus mishap: Bus driver held responsible by Railways

He added, “Eyewitnesses said that the driver was talking on his mobile phone and he applied the brakes, but it was too late and the bus went on to the train tracks.” Medak in-charge collector A. Sharat also said that he had received reports of the bus driver talking on his phone while driving, and it had to be verified during the inquiry.

Read: Telangana school bus mishap: Driver was on the phone, say witnesses

Government Railway Police, deputy superintendent S.G. Jagadeeshappa, who is the investigating officer in the case, said, “The bus picked up the children from four villages — Kistapur, Islampur, Venkataiapally and Gundreddypally — and was going to Masaipet to pick up other students.

Driver Bhikshapathi Goud, who was not a regular driver, was wearing ear phones. He may have been listening to music or talking on the phone. We have to check his phone call data. It was purely the fault of the bus driver.”

Read: CM K Chandrasekhar Rao’s absence at the accident spot angers locals

The father of Narredy Vamsi, one of the victims from Islampur, said, “I didn’t wake up in the morning when my son was going to school. His grandfather took him to the bus stand. My son is now no more.”

A medical relief van was rushed to the spot from Nizamabad and senior railway officials and a medical team from Secunderabad rushed to the spot to undertake relief and restoration measures.