Two pilgrims from Velaikulam in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, who were on a padayatra to Tirumala, were crushed to death by a speeding vehicle at Nendragunta Cross near Pakala railway junction town, 30 km from Chittoor, on Monday. Another pilgrim was seriously injured in the incident.
According to Pakala police, Velu (17) Santhosh Kumar (17) and Swami (25) were walking along the Naidupeta-Puthalapattu highway toward Tirumala around 5.30 a.m., when a speeding vehicle knocked them down, killing Velu and Santosh Kumar on the spot.
The injured pilgrim, Swami, was rushed to SVRR hospital at Tirupati, where his condition is said to be out of danger.
Other members of the pedestrian pilgrim-party, who were walking ahead of the victims, said a lorry had crushed the duo to death, but they could not notice the registration number or identify the vehicle due to darkness. Police have registered a case.
During the last one year, about 10 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu villages on foot-march to Tirumala have been killed in road accidents on the same highway.
