KAKINADA/ANANTAPUR : Ten people were killed and twelve injured in two accidents in East Godavari and Anantapur districts on Saturday. Six lives were lost when a speeding lorry collided head-on with an auto-rickshaw carrying a group of 13 — twelve women and a 3-year-old — at Modekarru village of Kothapeta mandal in East Godavari district.
The impact was such that most of the passengers of the auto-rickshaw were thrown off the vehicle. Five died on the spot and eight were severely injured, one of whom succumbed to her wounds on route to a hospital.
The group from Pillavarigarvu was en route to Venkanna Temple when the tipper lorry rammed into the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in around 3 am. Police who rushed to the spot on being alerted had a difficult time retrieving the bodies of two woman from the wreckage. Three other bodies were strewn helter-skelter around the accident site.
The deceased have been identified as Pilla Parvathy, 48, Chikatla Nagamani, 46, Pulime Ananta Lakshmi, 45, Perabathula Ananthalakshmi, 40, Pilla Bhavani, 25, and Pilla Durga. The child, Harshitha, escaped with minor injuries. The injured, including the auto-rickshaw driver, were shifted to Konaseema Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). Pilla Jagadeeswari was rushed to Kakinada Government Hospital after her condition became critical. Home Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa expressed shock over the accident and directed officials concerned to ensure proper treatment for the injured.
According to the police, lorry driver M Srinu, 36, of Chebrolu in West Godavari district was transporting black metal stones.In another incident, four people were killed and four injured in an accident at Nalla Boyanapalli village in Bathalapalli mandal of Anantapur district on Saturday evening. Three of the deceased have been identified as P Shankar, 45, of Budhanapalle village in Bathalapalli mandal; G Ramana Reddy, 47, of Somaraju Kunta of NP Kunta mandal; and T Babaji, 22, of Vankaragutta in Nallamada mandal. The identity of the fourth victim is yet to be established.