VIZIANAGARAM: Three people, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed and 13 others injured in a road accident near Chelluru village in the district in the early hours of Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Chintapalli Rambabu alias Ramunaidu (50), Majji Narayanarao (50) and B Mohana Naidu (8), all from Bocchapeta village in Vizag.
The accident occurred when a speeding lorry coming from Vizag rammed into a parked van from behind and dragged it for nearly 500 metres before stopping. The victims were daily wage labourers and their family members from Bocchapeta, who were travelling to Rayagada on a pilgrimage and had halted at Chelluru village to pick up two more persons.
According to sources, 16 members from three families residing in Bocchapeta under Padmanabham mandal in Visakhapatnam district, Boddavalasa in Denkada mandal and Chelluru in Vizianagaram rural mandal had hired a passenger van to visit Majji Gowramma temple, popularly known as Maa Majhighariani, in Rayagada. The van picked up passengers from Bocchapeta and Aynada Junction before halting near Chelluru.
The impact crushed the rear portion of the van, killing three passengers on the spot and injuring 13 others. Two of the injured suffered leg fractures, while one was reported to be in critical condition. Based on information from locals, Vizianagaram rural police rushed to the spot. The injured were shifted to Government General Hospital (GGH) in Vizianagaram, where they are undergoing treatment.
“Based on the local information, we reached the site immediately and launched the rescue operation. A case was registered and an investigation is on to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the collision,” Vizianagaram Rural SI Ashok Kumar told the media.