3 die, two hurt as lorry hits auto

Podili (Prakasam district): Three persons died and two others sustained injuries when the autorickshaw in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding lorry at Pathapadu village of Konakanamitla mandal near here on Monday.   

According to Konakanamitla police, Shaik Khadir, Shaik Furkhan, Shaik Mubarik and his wife Shaik Nazma were from Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh and sell pants and shirt bits roaming in villages.  

They hired an autorickshaw in Ongole and were travelling to Nandyal in Kurnool district in the early hours of Monday with their merchandize. When the autorickshaw reached Pathapadu village of Konakanamitla mandal, a musk melon-laden lorry coming from Nandyal hit their vehicle. 

The auto driver Nallapu Venkateswara Reddy of Konakanamitla, Shaik Khadir and Shaik Furkhan died on the spot. The couple Mubarik and Nazma sustained injuries as they were sitting on the back seat of the auto. Police shifted the injured persons to Ongole for treatment. Police suspect that over speed and sleep could be reasons for the accident.