Three passengers were killed and 23 injured when an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus plunged into a ridge near Tirumala in the early hours of Wednesday.

APSRTC spokesman Mohan Murthy told rediff.com the bus was proceeding from Tirumala Hills to B Kothakota when the accident around 0430 IST while negotiating a turn.

There were 52 persons, including the crew, in the bus. They included 26 men, 15 women and 11 children. Most of the passengers were pilgrims returning to Tirupati from Tirumala Hills after offering puja at the Lord Venkateswara temple.

Soon after the accident, locals and the police organised rescue and relief operations and shifted injured passengers to the nearby Ruia Hospital.  

While a male passenger died on the spot, a woman and a child succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Fifteen persons suffered grievous injuries.

The RTC regional manager (Tirupati) rushed to the site and later disbursed ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 each to the injured passengers.