Four women were among five labourers crushed to death today when granite slabs on a lorry in which they were travelling fell on them in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, police said.
The incident occurred at about 11.30 AM near Chemmudu Gunta village in Venkatachalam mandal in the district, about 350km from here, police said.
A group of 11 persons had boarded the lorry laden with granite slabs which was on its way to Guntur. Five of them, including the four women, sat at the back of the lorry while the others occupied the cabin, said Venkatachalam Sub- Inspector Venkateshwar Rao.
"The mishap occurred when the lorry driver tried to overtake a vehicle. When he suddenly applied brakes, the granite slabs got dislodged and fell on the five persons, crushing them," Rao said.
The four women died on the spot, while the man succumbed to his injuries at a hospital this evening, he said. The deceased were labourers from Prakasam district, he added.
