Andhra Pradesh: 7 women pilgrims killed, 6 injured as truck rams into auto rickshaw

There were in all 13 women in the overcrowded three wheelers. They were on their way to Lord Venkateshwara Swamy temple at Vadapalli.

Seven pilgrims, all women, were killed and six others injured when the auto rickshaw in which they were travelling collided head on with a speeding truck in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Saturday.

Seven women were killed and six others injured when a sand-laden truck hit rammed into an overcrowded auto rickshaw in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. (Representative image)

According to the police, there were in all 13 women in the overcrowded auto rickshaw. All of them hailed from Allavaram village and were on their way to famous Lord Venkateshwara Swamy temple at Vadapalli.

As they were crossing Modekurru village under Kothapet block, a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction at a high speed rammed into the auto rickshaw.

Some of the passengers were thrown out of the vehicle, while other got crushed under the wheels of the truck.

Six of them died on the spot and another woman died while being shifted to Kakinada government hospital. The condition of other injured is said to be critical.

The deceased were identified as: Ch Nagamani, P Bhavani, P Parvathi, D Ananta Lakshmi, P Lakshmi, P Durga and Jagadeeshwari.

Ravulapalem inspector B Peddi Raju said police have registered a case and investigation is on.

State home minister and deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa called on the injured at the Kakinada hospital and directed the doctors to provide them the best treatment.

There had been several incidents of accidents involving speeding sand-laden trucks in the state as well as in neighbouring Telangana in the last few months.

In April this year, as many as 20 people were killed and 15 others injured when a sand-laden lorry ran over them at Yerpedu town in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

In August this year, three people were killed in accidents involving sand-laden trucks in a span of one month at the same spot at Nerella village of Rajanna Siricilla district in Telangana.

The agitated villagers set ablaze two trucks, as a result of which the police arrested eight people, all Dalits and OBCs, and allegedly subjected them to physical torture. This triggered a nation-wide outrage.

Most of the accidents involving sand trucks happened in the night or in the early hours because they indulge in alleged illegal transportation of sand only after midnight to avoid being caught by the authorities.