In a hit-and-run fatal accident, at least five people were killed on the spot and seven were injured severely while they were travelling in an auto-rickshaw, at Pondugala Village in Dachepalli Mandal in the district in the early hours of May 17. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals with the support of the local residents.
Reacting to the incident, the Palnadu District Superintendent of Police Y. Ravi Sankara Reddy told The Hindu that a lorry which was going towards Nalgonda district of Telangana hit an auto-rickshaw coming from Nalgonda towards Palnadu at Pondugala Check Post. “After the accident, the lorry driver did not stop the vehicle and drove away into the Telangana State. The incident reportedly happened at around 4 a.m.,” he said.
“Knowing the development, we formed special teams under a Deputy Superintendent of Police, identified the registration number of the lorry and other details and traced the vehicle too. We are bringing back the lorry,” the SP added.
The SP further explained that the passengers are agriculture workers of a village in Damacherla Mandal, Nalgonda. All the victims were travelling from Damacharla to a village in Gurazala Mandal in the Palnadu district of A.P. for agriculture works. The details of all the deceased, injured and others are yet to be established. The police investigation is on.
A blind-spot on NH causing accidents
Detailing the reasons for the accidents at the spot, Mr. Reddy explained that Pondugala village is located on the banks of river Krishna bordering A.P. and Telangana.
“The four-lane highway is narrowed down to a two-lane road for about 200 meters due to land acquisition issues pertaining to 19 households. Despite all efforts from the government, the households did not give up their lands and went to the Court.
“Now, the matter is sub judice. But, the reason for the accident is the sudden two-lane road. And the road does not even have a divider. This is not the first accident in the last year. This area became a blind spot and a dangerous accident zone on the highway. The police installed all the sign boards, bottleneck boards and lighting indicators.”
