Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for 5 AP Christmas choristers killed in accident

Yerraguntla (Andhra Pradesh), Dec 16 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government has declared an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims of the horrific road accident in Kurnool's Yerraguntla village in which five Christmas choristers were killed.Likewise, severely injured choristers will receive Rs 50,000 relief."The state government will bear the cost of treatment for the injured people," said an official statement.Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy called the district collector Veerapandian, legislative council whip Gangula Prabhakar Reddy and Allagadda MLA Gangula Bijendranath Reddy to inform the family members of the victims that the government will stand by them and provide all the required treatment.A truck headed to Mydhukuru from Hyderabad rammed into a group of 40 choristers on the Nandyala-Allagadda highway in Yerraguntla village, which is 384 kms southwest of Vijayawada.Three of them died on the spot, two more later at the hospital, five were severely injured while seven more were also injured.Tuesday's accident was a hit-and-run case. Police chased the truck till Bathuluru to nab the driver who rammed into the festival choristers.
--IANS sth/kr