As many as 12 people, including three engineering students, were killed in four separate road accidents reported from Karimnagar, Hyderabad and Nalgonda districts on Friday.
In the first incident, six persons, including five women farm labourers and an auto driver, were killed and 10 others sustained serious injuries when the auto in which they were travelling was hit by a lorry on Malkapur village bypass road on the outskirts of Karimnagar town. Police sources said the farm labourers from Chamanpalli village of Karimnagar mandal were on their way to pluck cotton from fields in Narsakkapalli village of Illanthakunta mandal. The driver of the over-loaded auto came on to the main road without noticing the lorry passing by. The lorry driver tried to avoid hitting the auto but hit the side portion, killing four persons on the spot while two others succumbed to injuries at the government hospital.
All the victims hailing from the Chamanpalli village were identified as auto driver Venkatarama Rao (53), labourers Myalaka Devamma (55) and daughter Saileela (18), Nampalli Anjali (30), Lalitha (40) and Odemma (40). The injured are undergoing treatment in the government hospital.
Minister for Finance Eatala Rajender and Karimnagar legislator G. Kamalakar expressed shock and grief and informed the authorities to provide proper medicare to the injured labourers.
Circus performer dies
A 63-year-old circus performer died, and his wife severely injured after the SUV they were travelling in lost control and hit a road divider in Nalgonda on Friday. Three other members in the family sustained minor injuries.
The troupe belonging to Kadiri in Anantapur were to attend a show being organised at Dhantalapally, about 80 kms behind the accident site Kattangur.
Three students killed
Five people lost their lives in two separate road accidents across the city in the wee hours of Friday. Both the accidents occurred between 1.30 a.m. and 2 a.m. due to speeding, police said. In the first accident, three students, including two engineering students, were killed after their vehicle hit a road median near Suchitra Circle. Police identified the students as Ratan Angur (21), T Aman Raj (23) and Anil Kumar (21) - all natives of Nizamabad district.
According to police, Aman Raj along with his friends Ratan and Anil attended a party in Suchitra and consumed alcohol. “Later the trio were proceeding towards Bowenpally on their bike to have food. On the way, Anil, who was riding the bike, lost control and hit the median, and all the three sustained severe head injuries,” police said.
Death was instant for Angur and Kumar, while Aman Raj was declared brought dead at the hospital. Their bodies were shifted to Gandhi hospital morgue for autopsy.
Meanwhile, two middle-aged persons travelling on a bike hit a median near Telangana State Sports School in Shamirpet police limits. Police said that the deceased were identified as M Srikanth and A. Kondal, both residents of Secunderabad. The incident occurred when the duo were riding the bike under the influence of alcohol.
Their bodies were shifted to Gandhi Hospital morgue for autopsy.