VISAKHAPATNAM: In a tragic incident, a couple died on the spot while travelling in a lorry when a load of iron rods pierced them after the driver applied sudden brakes. The incident occurred near Nakkapalle tollgate in Visakhapatnam district on the intervening nights of Saturday and Sunday.
The deceased have been identified as Tirumala Venkatesh (40) and Tirumala Polamma (38), both residents of Gajuwaka and natives of Upparapalem village of Vinukonda mandal in Guntur district. However, their five children who were also travelling in the same lorry were safe.
According to Nakkapalle sub-inspector L Ramakrishna, the family ekes out a livelihood by performing ‘Gangireddu aata’ during Sankranti and other festivals.
Having decided to go to their native village for Sankranti festival, the couple, along with their children, boarded an iron rod-laden lorry near Srinagar of Gajuwaka at around 9 pm on Saturday. The lorry was on its way to Chittoor.
As a practice, lorry drivers leave some space in the front portion of the ‘load cabin’ while carrying a full load to prevent pressure on the front tyre. In case, they apply sudden brake, the load will hit the front rim of the ‘load cabin’ and the driver cabin will not be damaged, said the SI.
Ignorant of this fact, after boarding the lorry, the couple slept in the vacant space in the front portion of the ‘load cabin’, while their kids slept over the iron rods.
At around 1 am on Sunday, the driver applied sudden brake near Nakkapalle tollgate and the iron rods pierced the couple to death. The Nakkapalle police have registered a case against the lorry driver, who was taken into custody. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.