Nine people lost their lives and several others were injured after a passenger bus lost control on a sharp turn and fell into a ravine in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri district on Friday morning. The accident occurred on a hilly forest stretch near Tulasipakalu village, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

Accident on ghat road during early hours

According to officials, the incident took place around 5.30 am when the bus was negotiating a steep curve in the ghats. The vehicle reportedly veered off the road and plunged down a slope. At the time of the accident, the bus was carrying 35 passengers along with two drivers and a cleaner.

The district administration confirmed that nine passengers died on the spot or during rescue efforts. Seven injured persons were shifted to the Community Health Centre in Chintur, located about 15 km from the accident site. Authorities said that after initial stabilisation, the injured would be referred to a hospital in Bhadrachalam for further treatment.

Rescue operation and official response

Local police, forest officials and emergency response teams rushed to the spot soon after receiving information. Rescue work continued for several hours as teams worked to evacuate passengers and clear the damaged bus from the ravine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh will be provided to the families of each deceased, while ₹50,000 will be given to those injured in the accident.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also expressed shock over the incident. He reviewed the situation with senior officials, directed them to reach the accident site immediately and asked all departments to coordinate closely to ensure proper rescue and medical care for the victims.

Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil passed away on Friday morning at his residence in Latur, Maharashtra. He was 90. Family sources said Patil died at his home, ‘Devghar’, following a brief illness.

Patil is survived by his son Shailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana, who is associated with the BJP, and two granddaughters. His demise marks the end of a long political career that spanned several decades and key constitutional positions.

Long public life spanning legislature and governance

Born on October 12, 1935, Shivraj Patil began his political journey at the grassroots level as the municipal council chief of Latur. He entered the Maharashtra legislature as an MLA in the early 1970s before moving to national politics.

Patil went on to represent the Latur Lok Sabha constituency seven times. However, he faced defeat in the 2004 general elections when he lost the seat to BJP leader Rupatai Patil Nilangekar.

Between 1991 and 1996, Patil served as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha, a role in which he earned wide respect for maintaining parliamentary decorum. He later held the crucial portfolio of Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008.

Respected parliamentarian and constitutional expert

Apart from his legislative roles, Shivraj Patil also served as the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh from 2010 to 2015. Party leaders recalled that he was known for his dignified conduct and restraint, rarely engaging in personal attacks either in public speeches or private interactions.

He was widely regarded as a scholar-politician, with a strong command over Marathi, English and Hindi. His deep understanding of constitutional matters and his articulate presentations in Parliament made him a respected figure across party lines.

The Election Commission has revised the timeline for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in six regions, while keeping the schedule unchanged for West Bengal, Goa, Lakshadweep and Rajasthan. The SIR exercise, aimed at removing inaccuracies and updating voter lists, will now continue for longer in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Revised dates for voter roll revision

According to the Election Commission, the enumeration period has been extended as follows:

• Tamil Nadu and Gujarat: Till December 14
• Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Till December 18
• Uttar Pradesh: Till December 26

The publication of draft rolls will now be:

• December 19 for Tamil Nadu and Gujarat
• December 23 for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• December 31 for Uttar Pradesh
  

Meanwhile, the SIR period concluded today in Goa, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan and West Bengal, with no extension granted.

As West Bengal heads towards a crucial election expected early next year, the voter list update process has become part of a broader political narrative between the NDA and Opposition parties, especially after the Bihar polls.