HYDERABAD: Five persons, including four women farmers, were killed and six others suffered injuries when the autorickshaw they were travelling was rammed by an overspeeding car near Manchal in Rangareddy district on Monday. Four women were killed on the spot and the auto driver died while being rushed to the hospital.
The victims were on their way to sell their produce at a vegetable market in Ibrahimpatnam, while the car was heading towards Manchal when the incident happened.
Transport Minister M Mahender Reddy who visited the relatives of the deceased persons had to face the ire of public who staged a protest demanding compensation to their kin. They also blocked and pelted stones on the convoy of the minister and the police vehicles. However, police quickly dispersed the crowd. A case was booked against the car driver who fled from the spot.
ACP Ibrahimpatnam S Malla Reddy said prima facie inquiries revealed that one Praveen Kumar from Manchal was driving the car and there were three others in the car at the time of the accident. “All of them suffered injuries and were admitted to a private hospital. Their blood samples were collected to check if the driver was in an inebriated condition.
The deceased were identified as Ch Mamatha (30), Ch Sujatha (32), A Sona (40), A Asli (42), and the auto driver V Srinivas (26). The injured included Ch Padma, S Venkatamma, K Achchali, K Kamli and A Pandu. Ten women farmers, all belonging to Chennareddyguda village under Manchal mandal, were going to Ibrahimpatnam vegetable market to sell their farm produce. When the vehicle reached Lingampalli gate on the Ibrahimpatnam- Rutla stretch, an overspeeding car, with four occupants, rammed the auto. As the car was travelling at a high speed, it dragged the auto for more than 20 meters after crashing into it. The impact of the accident was so heavy that the auto rickshaw turned into a mangled mass of metal.
Inquiries revealed that the occupants of the car had attended a wedding at VMR function hall at Turkayamjal village on Sunday night, where they partied till the wee hours of Monday.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed shock over the road accidents at Manchal, and Shabad.
Minister P Mahender Reddy announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh each to the family of the deceased and immediate help under Apathbandhu scheme. Ibrahimpatnam MLA M Kishan Reddy assured a double bedroom flat to the families of the deceased.