Andhra Pradesh: Lorry drags bike for 3km, 3 students killed

VISAKHAPATNAM: Three teenagers riding a motorbike faced a horrific death on Tuesday when a cement-laden lorry dragged their bike for 3-km after knocking them down at Dharmavaram Agraharam junction in the city. Police, who confirmed that lorry driver Sheik Yakub Pasha was inebriated when he rode his heavy vehicle on to the trio, however, said Pasha had no clue about the bike getting stuck in the lorry’s front bumper.
The impact of the accident left the youngsters’ bodies mangled and defaced.The lorry came to a screeching halt on the national highway between Purushottampuram and Pulavarthi villages after locals raised a hue and cry and highway patrol chased it for 3-km.

‘Driver feared lynching, so didn’t stop’
Police officials said the breathalyzer registered a reading of 250 mg/100 ml, indicating that Pasha was high on liquor. “He did not stop the lorry even after hitting the motorists. The locals chased the lorry and alerted the highway patrol who caught up with him after a 3-km chase,” Nakkapalli police CI Vijay Kumar told TOI.
The three teenagers were close friends from Dharmavaram Agraharam village in S Rayavaram mandal and pursuing Intermediate first year in Aditya Educational Institutions at Addu Road. The deceased have been identified as Royyi Naveen, K Karthik and K Durga Prasad Sai alias Pandu.
Locals said the lorry rammed the bike when it was crossing the road at Dharmavaram junction where commuters negotiate a sharp curve. The lorry first hit Naveen, who died on the spot, while pillion-rider Prasad was dragged for more than half a km. Karthik, who was riding the bike, was trapped under the bumper and dragged for three km. The cement lorry, bearing Krishna district registration, was heading to the port city from Tuni.
Sub-inspector of S Rayavaram K Dhanunjaya told TOI that Pasha did not notice the motorbike stuck under the bumper. “He may not have heard the sound of the bike being dragged as the lorry engine sound is very loud while in motion,” he said. However, locals said the driver did not stop as he feared he would be lynched by angry mobs as the lorry kept dragging the bike.
Pasha was taken into custody, while the trio’s bodies were sent for an autopsy.