Bride and bridegroom are safe in the accident occurred at around 2.30 a.m.
Seven persons of a marriage party were killed and one was seriously injured when a minivan, in which 16 persons were travelling, rolled down from the hill top at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Thantikonda village under Rajamahendravaram Urban police limits in East Godavari district on Friday.
The bridegroom’s family from Tagorepalem village in Gokavaram mandal in East Godavari district and the bride’s family from Velugubanda village in Raja Nagaram mandal had come to the temple to perform the marriage.
While returning after the wedding around 2.30 a.m., the van, instead of taking the road downhill, rolled down the stairs and overturned, according to Rajamahendravaram Urban SP Shemushi Bajpai. Police suspect that a mechanical problem in starting the vehicle could have led to the van rolling down the stairs.
At least five persons, including three women, died on the spot. The bride and bridegroom are, however, safe. One person, S. Venkata Lakshmi, has been shifted to Government General Hospital in Kakinada for further treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Y. Sridevi, Y. Naga Srilakshmi, Kambala Bhanu, Simhadri Prasad, vehicle driver P. Narasimha Dora, S. Gopala Krishna and Ch. Hema Srilatha, all belonging to East Godavari district.
Naidu expresses grief
Telugu Desam Party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and profound grief over the death of seven persons in the Thantikonda road accident.
Calling the accident “very unfortunate”', he conveyed his deep sympathies to the bereaved family members of the deceased. He said the government should ensure proper treatment to persons who sustained injuries in the incident and also provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families.
