Five killed as tractor-trailer plunges into fish pond

Sajjapuram village head A. Penchalaiah and four labourers were killed when a tractor-trailer overturned and fell into a fish pond, at Sajjapuram in Nellore Rural mandal, on Tuesday.

The vehicle was carrying labourers to a watermelon farm for harvest when the accident occurred. The 60-year-old sarpanch and four workers who were seated on the front portion of the tractor got trapped under the mangled vehicle and suffocated to death, the Nellore Rural police said.

Passers-by, who noticed the overturned tractor after a few hours removed the five from the pond. But they could not be saved. However, another worker, who was driving the tractor escaped. The deceased labourers were identified as Kilari Hymavathi, L. Lakshmi Kanthamma, Manapaka Krishnaveni, and Thandra Venkata Ramanamma.

YSR Congress Party MLA from Nellore Rural Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy rushed to the spot and arranged for shifting the bodies to the Government General Hospital for post-mortem and funeral.