GUNTUR: Ten persons were killed in two separate road accidents in Guntur district on Sunday. The cause of both accidents was negligent driving.
In the ghastly mishap at the 5th Mile Junction in Vatticherukuru Mandal, 11 persons were on-board a seven-seater four-wheeler, which slipped of its course after hitting a caution board and fell 15-feet below the road in a dried-up local stream while trying to overtake another car in a deep curve. While five passengers were killed on the spot, one died at the Guntur Government General Hospital. The remaining passengers were still undergoing treatment.
The deceased and the injured were residents of Kakumanu village of Vatticherukuru Mandal who were returning from Etukuru village after attending a function. The deceased were identified as Vannuru Prasadam (55), Pogartha Ramana (48), Pogartha Sitamma (65), Pogartha Veeralakshmi (50), car driver Kammadulu Srinu (45) and Vajra Subbulu (48).
Guntur urban SP PHD Ramakrishna rushed to the spot along with police and began an inquiry into the accident.
The second mishap took place at Bondilaveedu village of Veldurthi Mandal where a speeding lorry slipped into a quarry after the driver applied sudden brakes, Macherla rural circle inspector P Baktavachala Reddy said.
Four persons, including the driver, who were in the lorry died on the spot. While the driver’s name is yet to be verified, the other three were identified as Sadanala Harikrishna (25), Sadanala Srinivasa Rao ((36) and Nayudu Sambaiah (60). The bodies were shifted to Macherla area hospital for autopsy.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita consoled the family members of the victims of the mishap at Vatticherukuru and directed the doctors to give the best treatment to the injured. She also assured them of allotting house sites to them.