A goods van mowed down a religious procession of 40 persons at Yerraguntla in Sirivella Mandal of Kurnool district in the early hours of Tuesday leading to the instantaneous death of four minors and injuries to ten others.
A pre-Christmas procession was being taken out on Kadapa-Ranipet National Highway No.40- the majority of them children- when a goods vehicle barged into the procession and ran over whoever came in its way, Sirivella Circle Inspector Chandrababu Naidu said.
The grievously injured were first shifted to Nandyal government hospital and then to Government General Hospital in Kurnool for better treatment. Chief Minster Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy took stock of the situation and ordered the district administration to take care of the injured and provide all possible help. While Superintendent of Police Fakkeerappa Kaginelli, Joint Collector Ramasundar Reddy, and Nandyal Sub-Collector Kalpana Kumari rushed to the spot, District Collector G. Veerapandian went to the GGH and consoled the injured. Mr. Veerapandian spoke to the doctors about their health condition.
The vehicle driver did not stop at the spot of the accident. Police personnel apprehended him at Bathaluru. A case has been registered and investigation is on.