Ghastly accident on NH 44 claims 9 lives

Wanaparthy: In a ghastly road accident, nine people were killed and two others suffered critical injuries when two speeding vehicles collided on National Highway 44, at Kanimetta village near Kottakota mandal of Wanaparthy district on Wednesday.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when the driver of a car heading towards Kurnool lost control over the vehicle, which hit a road divider and landed on the other side of the road where it collided with a car heading towards Hyderabad.

While seven persons were killed instantaneously, four others who suffered grievous injuries were rushed to SVS medical College Hospital in Mahbubnagar. However, two among four injured treated at the hospital died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Two others undergoing treatment are under critical condition.

Among the dead, three were women and six men. All the 11 persons in two cars were travelling at high speed, which resulted in the accident, informed the police. The police have further identified that five among the dead belong to Hyderabad and four others were from Wanaparthy district.

Soon after learning about the incident, the Kottakota police swung into action rushed the injured to the hospital. “Two vehicles bearing numbers TS08UA3801 and TS08EQ8108 have been badly damaged due to the impact of the accident. All the dead have been shifted to government hospital for post-mortem, while the injured were shifted to SVS Medical College hospital.

We have booked a case and further investigation is on case,” informed Kottakota SI Ravikanth Rao. The police identified the deceased as fruit vendors of Mallapur in Hyderabad. They were all heading towards Moolamalla village in Atmakur mandal to attend a marriage. The deceased persons were identified as Prasanna (70), Suribabau (56), Beeraiah, from Mallapur of Hyderabad, Raju Ajjakollu from Madnapur, Mallesh and Anjaneyulu and Naresh from Atmakur.