Fatalities involving Pushkaram pilgrims continued on Tuesday, with four more getting killed when a van carrying 30 pilgrims crashed through the railings of a bridge and fell into the valley below near A. Koduru village in Chodavaram mandal of Visahapatnam district.
Tragedy struck when a Tata Ace truck carrying 30 pilgrims from various villages in Vizianagaram district crashed through the railing of a culvert near K. Koduru village and toppled down.
The accident occurred around 3.30 a.m.
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According to Circle Inspector Kiran Kumar of Chodavaram, four elderly women died on the spot, while the remaining sustained injuries. There were seven children and 23 adults in the van.
The dead have been identified as K. Sanyasamma (53), Reddi Demuduamma (60), Reddi Sanyasamma (62) and Reddi Atchayyamma (60). Among the injured, one is said to be in a critical condition and was referred to King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam along with 12 others. The others are being treated at the Area Hospital in Chodavaram, said Mr. Kiran Kumar.
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As many as 18 pilgrims suffered injuries after the van in which they were travelling in overturned at Gopalapuram of Bheemadolu mandal in West Godvari district.
Four killed
Four persons, including an SSC student, died in separate road accidents that in various parts of the State on Tuesday.
An SSC student, Lokesh of Kotlavaripalle village, died and four of his friends were severely injured when the tractor in which they went for a joy ride overturned near Kannappakunta village in Dhone mandal on Tuesday. While two youngsters died after a speeding lorry hit their motorcycle at Thondangi in West Godavari district, a driver died on the spot when the lorry he was driving collided with a private bus at Singarayakonda in Prakasam district.