Early-morning Kurnool accident kills Five, Leaves two injured

A tragic road accident in Kurnool district early Saturday morning claimed the lives of five members of a family from Karnataka, sending shockwaves across the region. The accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. near Kotekal in Yemmiganur mandal when two cars collided head-on on National Highway 167. The victims were travelling from Chikkahosahalli in Kolar district to Mantralayam when the fatal collision occurred.

Those who lost their lives have been identified as Venkatesh (76), Meenakshi (32), Satish (34), Banith (5), and Ruthvik (4). All five died on the spot due to the intensity of the impact. Four of the bodies were found trapped inside the mangled car, and police, along with locals, had to struggle to retrieve them. Two others from the same group sustained critical injuries and were immediately shifted to Adoni for emergency treatment. Early indications suggest that one of the cars may have veered into the opposite lane, possibly due to sudden loss of control or driver fatigue.

The tragic loss of an entire family has deeply shaken the administration. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound grief and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved relatives. He directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and ordered senior police officers, including the District SP and Range IG, to visit the accident site and oversee the investigation. Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy also termed the incident extremely distressing and stressed the need for stricter enforcement of highway safety norms, especially on stretches witnessing heavy early-morning pilgrim traffic.

Police have launched a detailed investigation to determine whether speeding, lane deviation, poor visibility, or other contributing factors led to the head-on collision. Officials noted that the Kurnool–Mantralayam route regularly witnesses high vehicular movement of pilgrims, making consistent monitoring, proper signages, and improved road engineering essential. The state government has assured full support to the affected families and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening safety on vulnerable highway stretches to prevent such tragedies.

In an unrelated incident, an APSRTC bus accident in Prakasam district on Friday night left 15 passengers injured, six of them critically. Authorities clarified that this mishap bears no connection to the Kurnool tragedy, though both incidents have renewed calls for enhanced road safety measures across the state.