At least six people, including an autorickshaw driver, were killed and six others seriously injured after a speeding tanker crashed into an autorickshaw on the Hyderabad-Mumbai National Highway (NH-65) in Telangana’s Sangareddy district on Tuesday night, police said.
The accident occurred near Satwar village in Zaheerabad mandal around 8.30 pm. The autorickshaw was carrying 11 women agricultural labourers from Karnataka’s Bidar district, who were returning home after working in agricultural fields in Sangareddy.
According to police, the autorickshaw was attempting to take a U-turn on the highway when the tanker, travelling from Mumbai towards Hyderabad, rammed into it. The collision was so powerful that the autorickshaw was severely mangled.
Four people died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries during treatment. The deceased were identified as Rekhamma, 36, Kavitha, 40, Sridevi, 45, Reshma, 28, Nikhita, 30, and autorickshaw driver Devadas, 35.
Six other passengers sustained serious injuries and were taken to the government hospital in Zaheerabad. Two of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the accident.
Two Killed in Another Crash on Same Highway
In a separate accident on the same highway, two people died after their car crashed into a road divider near Venkatapur junction in Kohir mandal.
Police said the car was travelling from Zaheerabad towards Sadashivpet when it struck the divider, crossed into the opposite lane and collided with oncoming vehicles. The two occupants, identified as Shankar, 52, and Mallikarjun, 50, died at the spot.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed condolences over the deaths and directed district authorities to provide assistance to the victims’ families and ensure proper medical treatment for those injured.
