Four Ayyappa devotees killed, 16 injured in road accident in Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh

The devotees were returning to Neelipudi in Krishna district after attending a devotional programme at Tenali in Guntur district; poor visibility due to fog caused the accident, say police

Four Ayyappa devotees died and 19 sustained injuries when the pick-up truck in which they were travelling overturned after hitting a signboard on the outskirts of Jampani in Vemuru mandal of Bapatla district in the early hours of December 5 (Monday). Poor visibility owing to dense fog caused the accident, the police said.

Three people who sustained critical injuries were referred to Government General Hospital (GGH) in Guntur while 16 people with minor injuries were admitted to the government hospital in Tenali. 

“The accident occurred when the Ayyappa devotees were returning to their native village of Neelipudi in Kruthivennu mandal in Krishna district after attending a devotional programme at Tenali in Guntur district on the night of December 4 (Sunday). The vehicle had 23 persons on board including the driver who lost control while negotiating a turn and rammed the vehicle into a signboard. Four devotees died on the spot,” Vemuru police sub-inspector Patha Chowdaiah told The Hindu. 

The deceased have been identified as B. Panduranga Rao (40), P. Ramesh (55), B. Ramesh (42) and B. Pavan Kumar (25). Further investigation is on, he added.