ONGOLE: Six people, including two women and four men, were killed and two children were seriously injured in a head-on collision between a car and a lorry near Taticherla Motu village in Komarolu mandal of Prakasam district on Friday.
According to Markapur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) U Nagaraju, the accident occurred around 1:40 pm when a speeding car from Nandyal collided with an oncoming lorry. The impact caused the front of the car to become wedged under the lorry’s cabin, crushing the passengers inside.
There were eight people in the car at the time of the accident. Six of them died on the spot. The victims have been identified as Gajjala Ankaalu (40), Gajjala Bhavani (25), Gajjala Narasimhulu (20), Bochhu Sunny (30), Karreddula Divakar (30, the driver), and Gajjala Babbulu (30). All were residents of Stuartpuram in Bapatla district and were returning from a pilgrimage in the Nandyal area.
The two injured children, G Jeetan (3) and G Sireesha (6), were admitted to the Giddalur Government Hospital. Jeetan remains in serious condition.
DSP Nagaraju, along with Giddalur Urban CI Suresh, Cumbham CI Mallikarjuna Rao, and other officers, led the rescue efforts. A crane was used to separate the vehicles and retrieve the victims.
“In our preliminary inquiry, it appears that rash driving by the car’s driver caused the accident. The victims were only an hour away from returning home when tragedy struck,” DSP Nagaraju said. The bodies were taken to the Giddalur Government Hospital for autopsy. Police have registered a case, and a probe is ongoing.
Transport Minister Mandipalli Ram Prasad, Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar, and Social Welfare Minister Dr Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy expressed condolences and assured government support to the bereaved families.
They also directed district officials to ensure the swift completion of formalities and provide quality treatment to the children.