Eight people were killed and 13 others injured in a collision between an SUV and a ready-mix concrete truck in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district. The accident occurred near Chilakaladona village in the early hours of Thursday, police said.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the accident and directed officials to provide the best possible treatment for the injured and extend support to the bereaved families.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.
The vehicle was carrying 21 devotees from Chikmagalur in Karnataka to the Sri Raghavendra Swamy temple in Mantralayam. The driver allegedly lost control and veered into the opposite lane, colliding with an oncoming truck.
Emergency teams rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations. Five people died on the spot, while three others succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
The injured were shifted to the government hospital in Yemmiganur, with six later referred to Kurnool Government General Hospital due to the severity of their condition.
