HYDERABAD: A police constable deputed to Choutuppal Police Station of Rachakonda Commissionerate, died in an accident on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway in the wee hours of Thursday. Arpula Jagannatham was on Covid-19 patrolling duty, inspecting an accident site, when the mishap occurred, the police said. Rachakonda Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat condoled his family and paid his last respects to Jagannatham. He is survived by his wife and three children.
According to police, Jagannatham, a 1993 batch constable, was on night patrolling duty attached to patrol car II. At 4 am, his team was alerted by the police control room of an accident at Malkapur village on the highway. When they arrived at the spot, they found a pick up van with mangoes coming from Vijayawada to Hyderabad. The vehicle crashed into an unidentified vehicle and its driver was injured.
After shifting the driver to hospital, Jagannatham was clicking pictures of the vehicle, which was completely damaged. A speeding DCM van bound to Sholapur from Kolkata rammed into the accident vehicle, which hit Jagannatham. He sustained multiple injuries and succumbed while undergoing treatment.
Choutuppal police said, as a precautionary measure, cones to indicate an accident were placed on the road, but the DCM van driver rammed into it from the rear, resulting in the mishap. Based on a complaint from the patrol car driver Srinivas Reddy, a case has been registered against the DCM van driver and he was detained.
Saves life of injured driver but gets killed
Jagannatham, a 1993 batch constable, was on night patrolling duty attached to patrol car II.
At 4 am, his team was alerted by the police control room of an accident at Malkapur village on the highway. After shifting the injured driver to hospital, Jagannatham was clicking pictures of the vehicle. A speeding DCM van rammed into the damaged vehicle, which hit Jagannatham