Amaravati, Sep 11 (IANS): Seven people were killed when a mini-truck they were travelling in overturned in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district on Wednesday, police said.

Two others were injured in the accident that occurred in the Chilakavari Pakala area of Chinnaigudem on the highway connecting East and West Godavari districts.

The mini-truck, laden with cashew nuts, was on its way from Borrampalem of Eluru district to Tadimalla in East Godavari district. Police said the accident occurred when the driver lost control. The vehicle veered off the road and overturned in the adjoining agricultural field.

Nine labourers, who were travelling on the mini-truck, got trapped under the sacks of cashew nuts. While seven of them died on the spot, the police rescued two others and shifted them to a nearby hospital.

The police with the help of locals pulled out the bodies from beneath the sacks and shifted them to Kovvuru Government Hospital for autopsy.

According to police, the driver fled the scene after the accident. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.

Six of the deceased were identified as Burraiah (40), Tammireddy Satyanarayana (45), P. Chinna Musalaiah (35), Kattava Krishna (40), Kattava Sattipandu (40) and Tadi Krishna (45), all residents of Samishragudem mandal. The seventh deceased Bukka Prasad hailed from Kata Koteswara in Nidadavolu mandal.

One of the injured was identified as Ganta Madhu while the details of the other injured were not known.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has expressed grief over the road accident. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased.

Pawan Kalyan said he was pained to learn about the ghastly mishap and the tragic deaths of seven workers in East Godavari district. He assured that the government would extend all possible help to the families of the victims.