KURNOOL: Fourteen people including eight women died and four others were injured in a ghastly road mishap at Maadharpuram in Veldurthy mandal on NH-44 of Kurnool district in the early hours of Sunday.
A group of 18 pilgrims from Madanapalle in the Chittoor district were on their way to Ajmer Dargha when the minibus they were traveling in lost control and the bus after hitting the road divider flipped over to other side and hit a truck coming from the opposite direction.
The impact of the collision was such that the bus was badly mangled and 14 of the 18 people in the vehicle died on the spot. There were eight women, five men and one boy, whose identity is yet to be ascertained. Four others were critically injured.
On being alerted police officials along with '108' emergency vehicles rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to Kurnool Government General Hospital. In the preliminary investigation, it was found that the minibus was overspeeding and the driver might have dozed off while driving, leading to the mishap.
Kurnool district collector G Veerapandian and Superintendent of Police Fakeerappa went to the accident spot to take stock of the situation. Police registered a case and took up an investigation.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the ghastly road accident and loss of life and instructed the officials to ensure the best treatment for the injured. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Andhra Pradesh governor Biswabhusan Harichandan also condoled the deaths of 14 people in the road mishap.