Toll in Medak bus-train collision climbs to 18

Hyderabad: The toll in the school bus-train collision at an unmanned railway crossing in Telangana`s Medak district Tuesday rose to 18 after a 11-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital here, even as the condition of four other students remained critical.

Vaishnavi, who was in "very very critical condition" after receiving injuries in the mishap, was declared dead at 5.28 AM, a release from Yashoda Hospitals said. Vaishnavi was a resident of Islampur of Toopran mandal of Medak district. Out of the 20 students admitted to the hospital at Secunderabad here, the condition of four students continues to remain serious and they are in the critical ward and under close observation while seven other students (including three girls) are in stable condition. Seven other students were discharged yesterday. Sixteen persons comprising 14 school children, driver and the cleaner of the private school bus were killed and 20 students were injured when a passenger train hit their bus at an unmanned railway crossing in Masaipet village on July 24.