Seven people belonging to a wedding party were killed in an accident after the mini-van they were in overturned and rolled off a hilltop in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district. The incident took place at Gokavaram mandal at around 2:30am on Friday. Reportedly, the mini-van was carrying 22 people when the accident took place.  

The passengers had attended a wedding at the Thantikonda Venkateswara Temple, located on a hill on Thursday. While the bride and groom were still at the temple at the time of the accident, the others decided to make their journey home when the accident took place in the wee hours of Friday morning.  Speaking to the media, one of the family members said that the mini-van tilted as soon as they all boarded the vehicle, which was parked on a slope. The accident happened within seconds, he said, with the van rolling down the steps of the temple, before overturning and coming to a halt. While some speculated that the brakes of the van had failed, causing the accident, the police are investigating the matter. 

According to sources, the dead have been identified as Yalla Sridevi (35), Yalla Nagalakhmi (10), Kambaala Bhanu (35),  Simhadri Prasad (25), Pachakuri Narasimham (24), Chaganti Hema Srilatha (12), Somarouthu Gopalakrishna (72). 

Gokavaram police speaking to the media said five of the victims were killed on the spot including the driver. Two others died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Meanwhile, those injured have been shifted to the local government and private hospital and are undergoing treatment.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, TDP Chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, Janasena Chief Pawan Kalyan have expressed their condolences to the affected families. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded that the government should help the families by giving them ex-gratia.