ONGOLE: Nine farmhands were electrocuted when high-tension electric wires fell on them after the tractor in which they were travelling hit an electric pole near Raparla village in Nagullapadu mandal of the district on Thursday evening. Seven among the deceased are women, police said, adding three others suffered serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at RIMS in Ongole.
According to Naguluppalapadu police and eye-witnesses, around 15-20 agriculture daily wage workers from Raparla, Machavaram and Chavatapalem villages in Naguluppalapadu mandal went to work in chilli fields in Machavaram village on Thursday morning. After completing their work, they were returning to their respective villages in a couple of tractor trolleys when the driver of the ill-fated vehicle lost control and hit a roadside electric pole.
With the impact of the collision, the high-tension electric wires snapped and fell on those travelling in the trolley leading to the instantaneous death of eight of them. Another person succumbed to injuries, while undergoing treatment in the hospital. A few others managed to jump away from the vehicle and escaped with minor injuries. Police said seven of the deceased are women and two of them are Intermediate students. Majority of the victims belong to Machavaram village. The injured were shifted to RIMS, Ongole for better treatment. A case was registered and investigation is on.
The owner of the chilli fields, who employed the agriculture labourers, Nalluru Chenchaiah (38) and two others suffered serious injuries and were shifted to a hospital. Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
The CM instructed Prakasam Collector Pola Bhaskar to provide better medical care to the injured. District in-charge minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy was asked to visit the families of the deceased and extend help to them. Jagan also announced `5 lakh ex gratia to the family members of each of the deceased. TDP chief Naidu said it is unfortunate that nine people lost their lives even before the people of the State forgot the tragic gas leakage incident in Visakhapatnam which claimed 12 lives.
Names of the deceased
P Koteswaramma (50), Nukathoti Lakshmamma (65), Kakumanu Rama Devi (55) Kakumanu Kumari (45), Kakumanu Ramya Sri (40) Golla Ravi Sankar (25), Kakumanu Siva (20) Kakumanu Mounika (18) and Kakumanu Amulya (17)
Provide better medical care: CM
The CM instructed Prakasam Collector Pola Bhaskar to provide better medical care to the injured. District in-charge minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy was asked to visit the families of the deceased and extend help to them