Anantapur: Five agriculture workers, all women, were charred alive and three others badly injured when a high tension electric wire snapped and fell on the auto rickshaw in which they were going to work at Chilakondayyapalli village in Tadipatri mandal in Sri Satya Sai district in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.
Police said that 12 agriculture labourers were going to the field to work in the ill-fated auto rickshaw. A 11 KV high tension wire snapped and fell on the auto rickshaw electrocuting them as flames engulfed the vehicle in which five were charred alive. The deceased were identified as Kumari (35), Ratnam (35), Ramulamma (35), Lakshmi Devi (32) and Kantham (32). The condition of one of the injured, Lakhshi is said to be critical.
APSDCL officials clarified that a squirrel climbed on the high tension wire which caused a short circuit resulting in the high tension wire getting snapped and falling on the auto rickshaw. Expressing shock and grief over the accident, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to each of the family of the deceased. The official informed about the ghastly accident to the Chief Minister who is on a tour. He directed the officials to provide the best treatment to the injured.
Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the accident. He directed the district administration to provide the best medical care to those injured in the incident. The Governor offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members. The officials said that the APSDCL would also extend Rs 5 lakh compensation to the bereaved families. (UNI)