Four women farm labourers were killed and eight others were injured when the mini goods vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a coal-laden tipper truck at Thippanapalli village in Chandrugonda mandal on Friday.
The incident occurred while 12 farm workers mostly women were heading to work at a paddy field in Yerragunta village in the ill-fated goods carrier on Friday morning.
The tipper truck carrying coal from Sattupalli to Kothagudem rammed the mini goods carrier after its driver lost control of the truck and veered onto the right side at Thippanapalli on the busy highway.
The truck overturned after hitting the goods carrier from the opposite direction at a high speed, sources said.
The intensity of the collision was such that all the occupants of the goods carrier were thrown out of the vehicle and landed on the roadside.
Two women farm labourers died on the spot and two others succumbed to the injuries while being shifted to a hospital in Kothagudem. Eight others were admitted to the government hospital in the coal town.
The deceased were identified as Sujatha, 40, Lakshmi, 52, Swathi, 28, and Sayamma, 42. All of them hailed from Sujathanagar.
The ghastly road accident led to intense protests by locals who squatted on the highway for more than half an hour demanding action against the errant driver of the coal laden truck.
The protesters alleged that rash and negligent driving by tipper truck drivers had claimed several lives in separate road accidents in Kothagudem division over the last few years.
They sought adequate compensation to the bereaved families of the four deceased women farm workers and those injured in the gruesome accident.
Kothagudem DSP Venkateshwara Babu inspected the scene of accident. A case was registered and a detailed investigation is on, police said.
