Srikakulam district collector Saurabh Gaur escaped with minor injuries when a sand-laden tractor rammed his car on NH-5 at Sanapalavanipeta village on Wednesday. Along with collector his attender, camp clerk and driver apart from the tractor driver and two others also sustained injuries.
However, the collector was discharged from the hospital after being treated for the injuries at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here.
After inspecting the Rajiv Swagruha Housing scheme at Etcherla, Saurabh Gaur was on the way to Seethammapeta in his SUV when a sand-laden tractor hit his car on the NH-5 service road at Sanapalavanipeta junction. The car driver steered the vehicle successfully to avert a major accident.
However, all the passengers in the vehicle sustained minor injuries as both the vehicles collided head on. They were rushed to RIMS and were discharged in the evening after being treated for minor injuries. Srikakulam DSP L Arjun said that it was a road accident and ruled out possibility of any conspiracy to attack the collector.
However, the police suspect that the sand was being transported illegally following a ban on sand quarrying. The collector also told the police that it was an accident as the tractor driver came in the wrong route on the national highway.