District Collector Anita Ramachandran had a lucky escape on Thursday when a truck rammed her official vehicle near Anajipuram village, about 6 km from her Bhongir office, during her return journey from a field tour.
Ms. Ramachandran and her four staff in the SUV escaped without injuries and are said to be safe. The incident took place at around 4.30 p.m., between Anajipuram crossroad and Nandanam village, a 15-minute drive away from the town, when they were returning from Valigonda.
According to the staff accompanying Ms. Ramachandran, the oncoming truck was speeding and it hit a car ahead of it, before ramming into the driver side of their vehicle.
“It is a two-lane road. The small car ended in the roadside bushes, and the truck then rammed into our driver’s side. All of us are safe, only the vehicle was damaged,” an official said.
The three others in the rear seats included a personal security officer, a clerk and an attender.
Soon, an alternate arrangement was made and Ms. Ramachandran was moved to her official residence in the town.
Bhongir Rural police, who reached the accident site, said the truck driver was found to be in an inebriated condition.
“All the five persons in the Collector’s vehicle are safe, and those in the small car suffered minor injuries. The truck driver was booked for rash driving and endangering lives,” sub-inspector K. Raghavender Goud said.
