Eight women were among nine killed when a overloaded auto with 14 passengers collided with an APSRTC bus at Somayajulapalle of Orvakal mandal of Kurnool district early on Sunday. The others sustained injuries.
According to the DIG (Kurnool) Ghattamaneni Srinivas, who rushed to the spot and oversaw the rescue operation, the bus belonging to the Nandyal depot was on its way to Kurnool. The ill-fated auto carrying passengers from Kallapari village of Kodumuru mandal and Chanugondla village of Guduru mandal, was proceeding to Mahanandi, where the victims were to take country medicine to fight liquor addiction.
Of the three autos carrying passengers, the last one took to wrong side, resulting in the collision. The impact left the auto flung to a distance of 50 feet away.
While seven died on the spot, two were declared dead on arrival at the government hospital at Orvakal. The five injured, including the auto driver, were admitted to the government hospital at Kurnool, 30 km from the accident spot. Four of them, including a woman, are said to be critical.
Mr. Srinivas spoke to the injured auto driver Vasu (28) and bus driver Maddileti and the passengers. He consoled the family members of the deceased.
The deceased were identified as Boya Mareppa (60), Somakka (70), Gowramma (60), Boya Eeramma (57), Manikyamma (46), Lakshmi Devi (40), Hussain Amma (60), Govindamma (62) and Lakshmi Devi (55).Senior officials of the APSRTC and the Road Transport department from Kurnool also visited the accident spot and the area hospitals.APSRTC chairman Varla Ramaiah said all steps would be initiated to help the kin of the deceased and the injured. A pall of gloom descended on the two villages. The district administration prompted the officials concerned to oversee the post-mortem process, shifting of bodies and funeral formalities.
