Garbage lorry mows down 3

TIRUPATI: Three persons died on the spot and six others were injured when a garbage-laden lorry of the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) went out of control and hit people on the road here on Tuesday.According to police and eye-witnesses, the driver of the MCT lorry lost control after its brakes failed near the SV Medical College junction leading the vehicle to trundle onto the road.As the road slopes down at Alipiri, the vehicle that had already lost control gained more momentum and ran down at a breakneck- speed for about a kilometre and came to a halt after it hit the walls of a shopping complex near the West police station, claiming three lives.It consequently hit people walking on the road and in vehicles, smashing petty shops and bunks along the roadside that came in its way.Many two-wheelers, cycles and autos along the one-kilometre stretch were shattered into pieces.The three deceased are identified as Murali (30) from Mangalam, who worked for a courier service; Prasad (35) from Giripuram, a cloth trader, and Kripachari (46) from Galiveedhi.The condition of two injured is said to be critical. They have been admitted to the SV Ruia hospital.Tirupati Urban Superintendent of Police J Prabhakara Rao and Tirupati Municipal Corporation commissioner T Prasad visited the Ruia hospital and consoled the family members of the deceased and injured.The truck driver surrendered before the police.2 Officials SuspendedTirupati: Municipal corporation commissioner T Prasad has suspended sanitary inspectors Sumathi and Mastri Gurumurthy on Tuesday on charges of dereliction of duties following the accident.After preliminary enquiries, the commissioner has suspended the two officials working in the health department as both of them have failed to personally supervise the lorry.The commissioner also relieved deputy executive engineer Adinarayana Reddy as incharge of vehicle maintenance with immediate effect and ordered a probe into the fitness of the vehicle.Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say that a helper had been driving the vehicle instead of the concerned driver of the lorry, before the accident.Besides, the brake failure of the lorry has not yet been confirmed by the officials.