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Water tanker rams into eatery; 2 killed

HYDERABAD: Two persons having snacks at a roadside eatery were crushed to death after a water tanker ran amok and rammed into it at Kukatpally on Friday night. Four persons sustained serious wounds and four vehicles got damaged in the accident that occurred around 8.30 p.m. on road no. 1 of the Kukatpally Housing Board Colony.

The driver lost control and hit a Maruti Zen and a Scorpio first. Fearing possible backlash from the damaged vehicle owners and bystanders, the driver jumped out of his seat and fled even as the tanker was moving.

The uncontrollable tanker ran down the sloping road and crashed into the roadside eatery.

It went on to hit four more vehicles and then ran into a heap of rubble before coming to a halt. Suraj (24) of Orissa and Venkatesh (34) of KPHB colony got crushed under the tanker. Pedestrians Raju, a constable, Vasu (30), Shekhar (30) and Murali (31) sustained critical wounds. They were admitted to a private hospital.

Some overenthusiastic TV news channels ran scrolls stating that a car in which CPI (M) State secretary B. V. Raghavulu was travelling was among the damaged vehicles. However, Kukatpally Inspector V. Surender Reddy made it clear that Mr. Raghavulu’s vehicle did not suffer much damage.

The CPI (M) leader came to the area to call on the bereaved family members of CITU leader K. Venkateswarlu who passed away while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

The accident occurred minutes before he left the place triggering speculation that his vehicle was damaged.

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