At least 17 cows died and eight other heads of cattle were seriously injured when a container in which they were being transported rammed a tree near Marripalem village in Rajavommangi mandal on Saturday.
According to Circle Inspector Trinatha Rao, the container was coming from Visakhapatnam Agency and cows were being taken to Hyderabad.
When the villagers of Marripalem heard a big noise early in the morning, they rushed to the spot and alerted the police.
Jaddangi Sub-Inspector Nagarjuna first reached the spot and called the officials of the Animal Husbandry Department to treat eight cows which were seriously injured. He along with his staff made arrangements to shift carcasses to hospital for post-mortem. According to CI Trinatha Rao, some of the cows fled to forest out of fear after the accident and the container driver and the cleaner are at large.
