BHUPALPALLY: A day after Jayashankar Bhupalpally District Transport Officer (DTO) M Venkanna was killed in a road accident outside his office after being run over by a coal-laden truck, the police wrote to the in-charge DTO seeking details about the vehicle’s fitness, the validity of the driver’s licence and whether the truck was carrying cargo in excess of its permitted capacity.
Police, along with Transport Department officials, on Tuesday began an investigation into the incident.
Prioritising the probe following Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s directions, the Ghanpur police started examining CCTV footage and collecting eyewitness accounts related to the accident.
Speaking to TNIE, Bhupalpally DSP A Sampath Rao said Venkanna died on the spot.
“Though we do not suspect any foul play behind the incident, we are gathering eyewitness accounts and evidence to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. At the time of the incident, Venkanna’s personal driver, who was in civilian clothes, was directing vehicle drivers to alight for document verification. Meanwhile, the coal-laden truck rammed into a harvester parked outside the RTO office, and the DTO came under its rear wheels. The exact cause of the accident can be established only after receiving the Motor Vehicle Inspector’s (MVI) report on the fitness of the truck and the condition of the driver, identified as Mohammed Tasleem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Venkanna’s funeral was held in Hanamkonda on Tuesday.