3 killed as van hits lorry on Andhra NH

Kakinada: Three members of a drama troupe were killed and seven others injured when a Bolero van they were travelling in went out of control and dashed against a stationary lorry along a national highway in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place near Velamakothur village in Tuni rural mandal, 70 km from here, in the early hours while the group was returning after staging Aghora performance during Ganesh immersion in Visakhapatnam.

All the troupe members hail from Srirangapatnam village of Korukonda mandal in East Godavari district.

Tuni rural police who registered a case identified the deceased as Surisetti Durga (36), Aadari bulliyya (35) and Bheesetti Veerababu (45). While Durga died on the spot, others died enroute to hospital.