GUNTUR/ANANTAPUR: Eight persons were killed and seven others were injured in separate road accidents in the State on Sunday. In Bapatla district, five people died and two were hurt after an auto-rickshaw they were travelling in collided with a truck on the Guntur-Kurnool highway near Santhamngaluru village at 4:30 AM. A marriage party of seven was returning to Guntur in an auto after attending a wedding in Markapur.
Two women and a man identified as Ch Kavitha (19), A Mangathayaru (19), P Nari (19) died on the spot, while two others,R Tulasi (16), and B Madhavi (35), succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment. The two injured persons, S Vijetha (21) and P Raju Nayak (22), have been shifted to a hospital in Narasaraopet.
The tragic incident took place when the truck driver, heading to Markapur from East Godavari, swerved the vehicle to the right in an attempt to avoid potholes on the road and collided with the auto coming from the opposite direction.
Bapatla district SP Vakul Jindal visited the accident spot, and inquired eyewitnesses about the accident. He said measures will be taken to prevent such accidents in the future. Santhamangaluru police registered a case under Sections 304A (causing death by negligence), and 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). An investigation was launched to nab the truck driver and the cleaner who fled the scene.
In Sathya Sai district, three people were killed after a car rammed into an auto. According to Kadiri (Rural) inspector Suryanarayana, the three deceased were identified as Chinna Swamy Nayak (36), Chalapathi Nayak (38) and Bhaskar Nayak (39) from Madire Bailu Tanda in Mudigubba.
The accident took place when the trio, along with five others, were heading to Kadiri and an over-speeding car coming in the wrong direction rammed into the auto near Yerradoddi village. The five other passengers, who were injured, were shifted to the government general hospital. Meanwhile, police took the car driver into their custody.