East Godavari: 7 die as van with marriage party overturns near Thatikonda temple

Vijayawada: Seven persons died and eight sustained injuries when a van in which they were travelling skid from the hill top and fell into a gorge at Thantikonda of Gokavaram mandal in East Godavari in the early hours on Friday.

According to police, a marriage party of nearly 20 people, hailing from Gokavaram and Rajanagaram in the district, arrived at Lord Venkateswara temple on hill top on Thursday and the marriage was performed in the early hours on Friday.

All the family members boarded the parked van on the hill top to reach home. While doing so, the van skid and rolled on the steps and fell down on the ground. Under its impact, seven persons were killed and nearly eight persons sustained injuries and all the injured were shifted to private hospitals in Rajahmundry which is over 30 km away from the place of mishap.

Both the bride and groom are safe as they proceeded in another vehicle.

Based on preliminary inquiry, the van driver might have failed to apply the hand brake and this resulted in skidding of the vehicle. The van driver also died in the mishap.