Rajamahendravaram: A tragic road accident occurred on Monday morning near the Gaman Bridge in Rajamahendravaram, close to the Konthamuru-Autonagar area, claiming the lives of four people and leaving another critically injured.

According to police reports, the accident took place when a car heading towards Visakhapatnam was hit by a lorry. The car was carrying five passengers at the time of the incident. Three of them died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital. The victims include two women. The fifth person, who sustained serious injuries, is in critical condition, doctors said. The deceased were identified as residents of Daravaram and Markandeyapadu villages in Chagallu mandal. They had started their journey from Pasivedala in Kovvur mandal for Kakinada earlier that morning. They met with the accident within an hour of starting their journey. The car was completely mangled in the accident.

Initial investigations suggest that the lorry’s tire pressure suddenly dropped, causing the driver to lose control and collide with the car. Police have taken both the lorry driver and the cleaner into custody for questioning. The bodies of the deceased were sent to the government hospital for post-mortem. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.