Six pilgrims die as car catches fire after crash

TIRUPATI: Six pilgrims died and two others sustained severe injuries when a speeding car crashed into a divider on the Puthalapattu-Naidupeta highway at Ithepalli in Chandragiri Assembly constituency on Sunday evening.  The deceased were identified as K Sriramamurthy (65), P Govinda Rao (60), K Suresh Kumar (40), K Meena (33), K Satyavati (55), and a 6-month-old baby of Suresh Kumar. K Joshitha (2) and P Hemavathi (55) were injured in the mishap.

According to Chandragiri police, eight people hailing from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts were travelling in the ill-fated car when the mishap occurred. They were returning to Tirupati after visiting Kanipakam. After crashing into the divider, the car flipped onto the other side of the road and caught fire. On being alerted, the police rushed to the spot and extinguished the flames with the help of locals. Five of the occupants died on the spot. The injured were shifted to SVR Ruia Hospital, where one of them succumbed. Traffic movement on the highway was disrupted for nearly one hour due to the car mishap. The police restored traffic after removing the car wreckage with the help of an earthmover. A case was registered.