In a freak accident, five persons died and 32 suffered injuries when a goods carrier in which they were travelling overturned near Parucherla stop in Dharur mandal of Gadwal district in the wee hours of Monday.
According to the police, the incident took place around 5.30 a.m., when the driver of the vehicle dozed off at the wheel for a second.
The deceased were identified as Gitamma (35), Lohith Chary (45), Kotha Venkanna (45), Kotla Venkanna (35), all hailing from Chinnapadu village, and Palle Aruna (20), a resident of Amulonipally.
The vehicle was carrying 37 daily wage labourers working at a cotton ginning unit in Gadwal, said the police.
SM Vijay Kumar, Gadwal SP, said death was instant for all the five, while five more were battling for life at the government hospital in Gadwal and others were shifted to the government hospital in Kurnool.
He said all the passengers hailed from different villages in Dharur mandal and were returning home from the cotton unit.
A case was registered against driver Ramulu, who was undergoing treatment at government hospital in Gadwal, the police said.
