CHITTOOR: At least seven people were killed in a bus accident on Saturday night in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor.

As many as 45 people have also sustained injuries in the accident.

According to the Tirupati Superintendent of Police (SP), the driver's negligence is believed to be the cause of the accident.

"The accident happened as the bus fell off the cliff due to driver's negligence in Bakrapeta, 25 kms away from Tirupati," he said. The victims were shifted to a nearby hospital.

The bus was carrying 63 members of a bridegroom’s family from Rajendra Nagar of Dharmavaram in Anantapur district to attend the engagement at Tiruchanoor, which was scheduled on Sunday.

According to police, when the bus reached Bakarapeta ghat, the driver lost control of the vehicle due to negligence and as a result the bus plunged into a 60-feet deep valley.
There were no eyewitnesses on the road when the bus fell off the cliff. Later, some motorists heard the cries of the injured and alerted the police.

The rescue workers had a tough time in the rescue operations due to darkness.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the incident. He announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.