Three killed after speeding lorry rams auto-rickshaw in Vizianagaram

What happened?

Three men were killed on Sunday morning when a speeding lorry rammed into their auto-rickshaw on a highway in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district. The collision occurred near S. Burjivalasa, in the Dattirajeru mandal, as the auto-rickshaw was travelling along its route from Manapuram. The impact of the crash was so severe that all three occupants of the smaller vehicle died at the scene before emergency medical services could arrive.

Who is involved?

Local police officers identified the deceased as 48-year-old G. Ramu, who was driving the auto-rickshaw, and his two passengers, G. Tirupati, 39, and Terli Adinarayana, 62. All three victims were residents of Gajarayunivalasa, a nearby village.

Bobbili Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Govind Rao confirmed that the collision took place near Burja, close to the Shikaruganji Junction. Local villagers and passing motorists who witnessed the crash rushed to help, but they found the occupants had already succumbed to their injuries. Bystanders immediately alerted the local police, who dispatched a rescue team to clear the highway and recover the bodies from the wreckage.

What happens next?

Emergency responders transported the bodies of Ramu, Tirupati, and Adinarayana to the Ramabhadrapuram Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

Sub-Inspector S. Prayoga Murthy said that early indications from the crash site pointed directly to rash and negligent driving by the lorry driver. The heavy commercial vehicle was reportedly travelling at a high speed when it lost control and struck the oncoming auto-rickshaw. Police have registered a formal case and have launched an investigation into the crash to determine the exact sequence of events and locate the driver.