ANANTAPUR: In a tragic incident, six farm labourers were killed while eight others suffered serious injuries when the autorickshaw in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding lorry on the outskirts of Pamidi on NH 44 in the district on Friday morning.
All the deceased, farm labourers from Koppala Banda village in Garladinne mandal, were on their way to harvest cotton at Peddavadugur. A group of 14 labourers, mostly women from Koppalabanda village in Garladinne mandal, had hired the autorickshaw to go to the fields about 20 kilometres from the village.
The overloaded auto rickshaw was about to cross the national highway to take a turn towards the right. The driver did not notice the speeding lorry which hit the autorickshaw.
Five persons identified as Shankaramma, 48, Nagaveni, 40, Savithri, 41, Chowdamma, 35 and Subbamma, 45, were killed on the spot.
The locals rushed to the spot and initiated rescue measures. The police teams shifted eight persons who suffered serious injuries to Anantapur and Kurnool hospitals. Another farm labourer died while being treated at a hospital and the condition of two more are said to be serious.
In another incident, two security guards were killed after being hit by a car near Miduthur in Peddavadugur mandal. The duo, identified as Yakoob, 62 and Narayana, 60, were walking back home after completing their duties.
Meanwhile, speaking to this correspondent, CPM district unit secretary Rambhoopal said the farm labourers had no regular wage in villages even as the governments were spending huge money in the name of NREGA programme. “The road accident exposed the pathetic situation of women labourers who had to travel more than 20 kilometres to get Rs 320 per a day. The farmers offer only Rs 12 to Rs 14 for picking one kilogram of cotton,” he said and demanded that the government give compensation of '25 lakh for each family of the deceased apart from free education for the children.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan condoled the death of six women labourers on Friday. In a release from Raj Bhavan, the Governor expressed deep sorrow and sadness over the accident. He directed district officials to provide necessary medical care to the injured persons.
