HYDERABAD: Four passengers travelling in an auto died and four others, including the driver, suffered injuries when the vehicle overturned in a small irrigation canal in Nirmal district on Wednesday evening. According to police, the accident occurred when the driver was attempting to swap his place with another driver sitting next to him.
The deceased were identified as S Lakshmi, 50, of Godiserala, S Shanta, 55, of Bellal, K Shankaravva, 52, of Chinnakampu, and B Rajamallui, 55, of Lingapur village in Kadam mandal. According to Kadam sub-inspector (SI) Raju, the incident happened when the auto was travelling from Kadam to Bornapalli in Nirmal district.
According to police, there were eight persons in the auto, including six passengers. “A 17-year-old youngster, who did not have a licence was driving the auto, and his friend, also 17, was sitting next to him,” Khanapur circle inspector (CI) Ajay said. When the vehicle was passing by Bellal village, the 17-year-old auto driver swapped his position with his friend sitting next to him and tried handing over the handle to him.
“While they were swapping the seating positions, the auto veered off the road and crashed into the small irrigation canal below a culvert,” SI Raju said.
While Shanta, Shankaravva and Rajamallu died on the spot with severe injuries, Lakshmi succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. The condition of the other injured, including the driver, was said to be out of danger, the sub-inspector said. Police registered a case under Sections 304 (ii) and 337 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
