Six killed as truck crushes overcrowded autorickshaw in Andhra Pradesh

Six people, including four women and a three-year old child, were killed and eight others were seriously injured when an overcrowded auto rickshaw in which they were travelling collided head on with a truck in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district early Tuesday.

The incident happened on the outskirts of Samalkot town. The auto rickshaw was carrying 15 people from Rameshwaram village near district headquarters of Kakinada. They were returning to their village after attending a wedding at Vadlamuru village of Peddapuram block.

“The auto rickshaw was crossing the embankment of Sambamurthy reservoir near Samalkot after midnight, a speeding truck rammed into it from the opposition direction resulting in the death of four people including the auto driver,” Samalkot Deputy Superintendent of Police CHV Rama Rao said.

Two others succumbed to their injuries at the government hospital in Kakinada.

After being alerted by local villagers, the police rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the hospital. Hours later, the police found the truck abandoned near a ceramic factory.

“We have seized the vehicle and are on the lookout for the driver,” the DSP said.