Two persons were killed and five others were grievously injured when a bus coming proceeding Dharmavaram to Gorantla, collided an autorickshaw at Kappalabanda village, about eight km from Puttaparthi.
Police suspect that the accident might have occurred when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle. The autorickshaw, in which school students coming to Puttaparthi to attend Republic Day celebrations and some farm labourers, fell into a canal after hitting a culvert.
While all the injured were rushed to the Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital, Vasu (16), Shyamala (37), died while undergoing treatment . Gangotri (16) was rushed to the KIMS Saveera Hospital in Anantapur for better treatment and the condition of the girl is said to be serious.
Four others injured in the incident were being treated in the Puttaparthi hospital.