Andhra Pradesh: Five die as vehicle falls into gorge in East Godavari district

KAKINADA: Five people died and nine others were injured after a vehicle they were travelling in fell into a gorge at the tiger camp of Mamidimilli Ghat Road in East Godavari district in early hours of Friday.

A group of 40 people, who went to Chintur from Kakinada rural area, were returning home after attending Christmas mass there. One of the four Tata Ace vehicles they were traveling in developed a glitch. The driver of the vehicle tried to park the vehicle on the roadside, but the vehicle fell into the gorge, sources said.

Four of the 14 people traveling in the vehicle died on the spot, while 10 others were injured. Police and fire services personnel, who rushed to the spot after being alerted by the others in the group, rescued the injured and recovered bodies of four.

The injured were rushed to Government Area Hospital in Chintur. With the condition of the two people turning critical, they were shifted to Government General Hospital in Kakinada, where one of them succumbed while undergoing treatment.

According to police, the deceased were identified as Raghu (45), K Varalakshmi (35), Sujatha (25), Sujita (30) and Sunita (32).