9 killed, five injured as RTC bus rams into auto

Kurnool: Nine persons died and four others sustained serious injuries when an APSRTC bus hit an autorickshaw coming in the wrong direction at Somayajulapalle Thanda under Orvakal mandal in the district on Sunday morning.

According to information, the tragedy struck when 14 persons from Kollipari and Chanugunda villages in Kodumuru mandal boarded a seven-seater autorickshaw to go to Mahanandi for getting treatment for joint pains from a quack.

When the autorickshaw reached Somayajulapalle Thanda an RTC bus going to Hyderabad from Kurnool crashed into it head on. In the mishap, nine people, Boya Mareppa (60), Gowramma (60), Boya Eeramma (57), Manikyamma (46), Govindamma (62), Lakshmi Devi (55) of Kollipari village, Lakshmi Devi (40), Hussainamma (60) of Chanugondla village and Somakka (70) of Ramallakota died on the spot.

Auto-rickshaw driver Boya Vasu (28), Bhagavanthu (50) of Kollipari village, Ashok (22) and Sarojamma (40) of Chanugondla village suffered serious injuries. The locals and the police rushed them to Kurnool General Hospital.

On learning of the accident, Panyam MLA Gowru Charitha Reddy rushed to the spot and enquired about the incident. She visited Kurnool General Hospital and consoled the families of the victims. Rayalaseema Range DIG Ghatamaneni Srinivas also visited the scene of accident and later hospital.

The Orvakal police registered a case and handed over the bodies of nine victims to families after the post mortem. With the death of nine persons, both villages Kollipari and Chanugondla have plunged into grief.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and transport minister K Atchannaidu expressed shock over the major mishap. The Chief Minister besides extending condolences to the bereaved family members, directed officials to ensure quality treatment to the victims.