Kin of accident victims protest, seek relief

Kandukur: The family members and relatives of the auto mishap victims staged a protest in Kandukur and demanded the government to pay ex-gratia to families of died people in the incident. MRPS leaders led the agitation and called off the protest only after the RDO assured them all help from the government.

According to police, family members of victims and RTC officials, about 17 people from the family and relatives of Atyala Prasada Rao, a pastor from SC Colony in Pokuru of Valetivaripalem mandal boarded an auto rickshaw on Christmas evening to attend the prayers at a church in Veerepalli of Ulavapadu mandal. At the B. Ed. College near Ohuru village, an RTC bus coming from the opposite direction hit the auto.

Two of the passengers, Atyala Emmanuel, 20 and Atyala Suvartamma, 40, were died on the spot while two other severely injured Atyala Rajitha and Rohith were sent to a private hospital in Ongole for treatment. The remaining people suffered minor injuries and sent for treatment at Area Hospital in Kandukur.

On Tuesday morning, the MRPS leaders with the relatives and family members of the Emmanuel and Suvartamma staged a sit in agitation at the NTR Statue Center in Kandukur with the bodies, demanding ex gratia to the kith and kin of deceased. After repeated requests from the police to allow traffic and no response from the officials for two hours, they closed the entrance of RTC bus stand and stopped the movement of buses.

RTC RM Adam Saheb reached Kandukur bus stand and said that there is no provision of ex gratia in the RTC in case of auto passengers involved in the accident and died. As the intensity of agitation is increased, the Kandukur RDO Mallikharjuna reached the bus stand and discussed with the protesting leaders and family members. He convinced them to vacate the place immediately and promised all possible help and ex gratia from the government.