Lorry rams into praying Christians in Kurnool, 4 children dead
Four children were killed and 12 others injured, three of them seriously, when a lorry ran into a group of Christians on a prayer walk in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on 15 December
By Newsmeter Network Published on 15 Dec 2020 2:01 PM GMT
Kurnool: Four children were killed and 12 others injured, three of them seriously, when a lorry ran into a group of Christians on a prayer walk in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on 15 December
The police said the incident took place along the Hyderabad-Kadapa national highway at Yerraguntla village of Sirivella block. The victims are between the ages 8 and 15 years.
Five of the injured, including two minor girls, suffered multiple fractures and serious head injuries. They were shifted to a government hospital in Kurnool. The other injured, including six minors, are being treated at Nandyal government hospital, the police said.
Kurnool district collector G. Veerapandian said a group of 40 Christians were holding a prayer walk and singing carols on one side of the highway as part of the Christmas celebrations when a lorry going from Hyderabad to Mydukuru in Kadapa district lost control and hit them.
Three children died on the spot while the fourth died within an hour of being admitted to Nandyal government hospital. However, the lorry driver did not stop the vehicle. The police chased him and caught him at Bathaluru near Allagadda.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the accident and directed the district officials to ensure that all the injured get timely treatment.
The Kurnool superintendent of police, Fakeerappa Kagninelli, said the Nandyal police were investigating the case.
