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4 of a family killed, 8 hurt in van-lorry collision near Tirupati
There were 12 people in the van. Three of them died on the spot, while another girl succumbed while being shifted to the hospital.
HYDERABAD: Four persons of a family were killed and eight others sustained injuries when a mini-van which they were travelling in collided with a lorry coming from the opposite direction in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district around midnight on Sunday, officials said.
The accident happened near the temple town of Srikalahasti. “There were 12 people in the van. Three of them died on the spot, while another girl succumbed while being shifted to the Sri Venkata Ramachandra Ruia Hospital, Tirupati,” Tirupati district collector K Venkatramana Reddy said.
The deceased were identified as Arjunaiah (45), his wife Narasamma (40), Maremma (43) and Dharani (10). The injured including driver Srinivas (30), Kavitha (28), Dhanush (13), Gopi (29), Ananda (30), Mokshita (3) and Dilli Rani (19) are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
“Another person who managed to escape with minor injuries was discharged after treatment at Srikalahasti area hospital,” the collector said, adding that all the victims were the natives of Chandragiri town near Tirupati.
He said the family was returning from Muthyalamma Jatara (a local religious fair) at Kanupuru village of Naidupeta block in Nellore district, when the driver of their van lost control over the steering and collided with the lorry coming from the opposite direction.
On coming to know about the accident, Srikalahasti police rushed to the spot and took up the rescue operations.
A police official of the Srikalahasti police station said prima facie, the driver of the van appeared to be in a drunken state. “We have booked a case of accident and are investigating,” he said.
