Twelve persons, including eight members of a family, were killed on the spot and several others were injured when a container lorry, carrying a load of water bottles, from Bengaluru to Vijayawada jumped the median and ploughed into the vehicles in the opposite lane and capsized, at Moghili ghat section of Bangarupalem mandal on the Chittoor-Bengaluru National Hgihway, 30 km from here on Friday evening.
It is feared that some more bodies could be trapped under the huge vehicle. A van, an autorickshaw and a two-wheeler were crushed under the container. The autorickshaw caught fire and was gutted. The eight-member family belonged to Gangavaram mandal, according to the police.
The deceased included the lorry driver and cleaner, and two persons on the two-wheeler. Four other injured persons were rushed to the Chittoor and Palamaner government hospitals.
The Bangarupalem police said the accident took place around 6.20 p.m. By the time, the police from Chittoor, Palamaner and Bangarupalem rushed there, it was pitch dark in a few minutes at the forest ghat section. Joined by the public, the police and fire department personnel retrieved 12 bodies by 8 p.m.
The impact of the accident was such that several bodies were mutilated, making it difficult to identify them individually and to match the body parts.
The Bangarupalem police suspect that the accident could have occurred due to overspeeing of the lorry at the precipitous slope on the NH, while some suspect that it could be a result of brake failure. After jumping the median, the container collided with the vehicles in the opposite and overturned on them.
The deceased of an eight-member family from the gutted auto were believed to be Ramachandra (50), Ramu (38), Savitramma (40), Prameela (37), Guramma (52), Subramanyam (49), Sekhar (45) and Papamma (49). The family belonged to Marrimakulapalle village of Gangavaram mandal. The death of eight members of a single family led to a pall of gloom at the village. The deceased were reportedly returning after attending a funeral at a nearby village. Another victim riding two-wheeler was identified as Narendra of Balijapalle of Palamaner mandal. Others are yet to be identified.
The police deployed cranes and search lights to complete the operation in view of heavy traffic jam on the highway.
Puthalapattu MLA M.S. Babu
said that Chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had announced ₹50,000 each to family members of the deceased for immediate expenses.
