At least eight people were killed after an SUV they were travelling in collided with a ready-mix concrete truck near Chilakaladona village in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district in the early hours of Thursday.
The SUV was carrying devotees from Karnataka to Sri Raghavendra Swamy Temple in Mantralayam. “The incident happened around 4.30am, when the driver of the vehicle lost control over steering and collided with the concrete truck coming in the opposite direction,” a police officer said.
Five people died on the spot and three others at a hospital. “They were from different villages in Chikkamagaluru and Chikkaballapur districts in Karnataka,” the officer said. “We have informed the victims’ families, and arrangements are being made for further procedures. We have registered a case of accident and initiated an investigation into its cause.”
Andhra Pradesh transport minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy described the accident as particularly distressing, given that the victims were on their way for pilgrimage. He directed officials to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured and urged the public to strictly adhere to road safety norms.