On Wednesday, five persons were killed on the spot and three others grievously injured in a road accident when the auto rickshaw they were travelling in was crushed by a speeding lorry at Timmapuram village, KVB Puram mandal near Srikalahasti.

Police informed that the auto with passengers from Srikalahasti was going towards Pichhatur while the lorry towards Srikalahasti. The auto, in the head-on collision, was totally crushed by the lorry.

The head constable rushed to the accident spot which took place at around 3.40 p.m. as the KVB Puram sub-inspector was away at Kuppam on duty for Chief Minister's programme. He said that the deceased hailed from nearby Kovanur village and the injured were rushed to the Government hospital at Srikalahasti.

The police and the locals are finding it difficult to pull out the bodies that got entangled in the mangled steel. With the help of the fire department personnel at Srikalahasti, the police brought a crane to lift the lorry.

With many road mishaps taking place due to its narrow formation, the km long Srikalahasti-Pichhatur road is considered the most dangerous route.