VISAKHAPATNAM: In a freak accident, a transgender was crushed to death and another man was injured when a container mounted on a lorry slid and fell on them on NH-16 at NAD Junction on Saturday.
The heavy vehicle, carrying a prawn container, was heading to Bhimavaram from Madhurawada. At around 11 am, the speeding lory hit a road divider after an alleged brake failure and the container slid.
SK Sadeena (38), a transgender from Kancharapalem who was walking on the median, was crushed to death, said ACP (North Division) V Bheema Rao. Then, the lorry skidded to the other side of the road and hit a high-tension electric pole which was around 50 metres away, before coming to a halt.
Commuters waiting for buses ran for their lives. The injured lorry driver fled after the accident, the eyewitnesses said.
A number of motorists and pedestrians had a miraculous escape and ran helter-skelter when the lorry hit the divider. However, another man sustained injury and a few vehicles got damaged.
“The NAD is one of the busiest junctions in the city. When the accident occurred, the traffic signal was red and vehicles going from Gajuwaka to Maddilapalem side were stopped. Or else, it would have been a disaster,” said the ACP.
Upon information, police and Road Transport Authority (RTA) officials rushed to the spot and removed the container using cranes. However, the traffic at the NAD junctions was disrupted for more than an hour.
The RTA officials said that they were yet to ascertain that whether there was a brake failure. Gopalapatnam police have registered a case.