Apr 22. At least 20 people have died after a lorry rammed into a group of farmers staging a protest in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The farmers were outside a police station in Chittoor district, protesting against illegal sand mining.
Police said the driver of the truck appeared to have lost control of his vehicle, but locals alleged that he deliberately drove into the crowd.
State officials have ordered an investigation into the incident.
Eyewitnesses told BBC Hindi’s Omer Farooq that the speeding lorry first hit a car and then an electricity pole before running into the protesting farmers.
Officials said that “many” injured had been taken to local hospitals for treatment.
The driver of the lorry has also been admitted to hospital with injuries.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced compensation of 500,000 rupees ($7,739;£6,048) to the families of those killed in the incident. – BBC
