NIZAMABAD: Ten persons, including six children died in a road accident near Mendora village in Balkonda mandal on Sunday, when an autorickshaw fell into an open well on the Mupkal-Mendora road.
The auto driver, who survived and is in police custody, reportedly lost control of his vehicle as the vehicle was overcrowded and unbalanced and it is surmised that he may have been speeding.
Some 14 passengers were crammed into the auto, which was on its way to Mendora from Mupkal. Four passengers were saved while the rest died from drowning in the well. The police were alerted by passersby and began rescue operations.
A crane was used to retrieve the auto from the open well. The auto was just minutes away from its destination at Mendora village when the tragic accident occurred and grieving family and relatives gathered as the bodies were fished out.
Ironically, the slogan Vegam Vaddu, Nemmadi Muddu (No speed, Slow is all right), was written on the auto courtesy the Regional Transport Authority, advice that neither the driver nor the passengers followed.
Mission Bhagiratha vice chairman, Balkonda MLA V. Prashanth Reddy, district collector M R M Rao, Nizamabad range DIG N Shiva Shankar Reddy, and Commissioner of Police Kartikeya Sharma visited the spot. The bodies were shifted to the government hospital in Armoor for post-mortem.
The deceased were identified as Teddu Prashamsha, 7, Teddu Chakkani, 6, Peddolla Sampath, 12, Mosra, Maddikunta Laxmi, 45, Putta Manaswini, 3, Mettu Vinayasri, 6, Bopparam Sayamma, 50, Teddu Roja, 25, Teddu Chinni, 18 months, Gundapu Gangu, 45.
