HYDERABAD: In one of the worst accidents on the Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road late on Friday, seven persons were killed and several others sustained injury, when a lorry rammed into a mini van they were travelling in.
The victims all belonging to Karnataka were returning home from Suryapet district in Telangana. There were atleast 30 in the mini-van at the time of the accident, said Police.
ACP STF Cyberabad Shyam Babu told The New Indian Express that over speeding of the lorry led to the mishap, while over loading in the mini-van is another reason for more deaths in the incident.
One of the accident survivors told that they started in the vehicle at around 6 pm and were on their way home. They were all working for DRN Constructions at Elkaram village in Suryapet district.
According to police, all the victims were from bordering districts in Karnataka and had migrated to Suryapet district for work. They were employed for road works taken up by the company. Due to the state wide lockdown, the company stopped road works. As a result the workers became jobless suddenly and were forced to return to their places.
On Friday, they hired an mini-van and started their journey. When the vehicle was near Pedda Golconda village of Shamshabad on the ORR, a speeding lorry hit their vehicle, killing five persons on the spot and injuring six others.
Drivers of both vehicles escaped unhurt and fled the spot after the accident. A case was registered at Shamshabad police station and the inquiry has begun, said police.