Twelve devotees from Telangana were killed and 11 injured in a collision between a tractor and a truck in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district on Wednesday, police said.
The accident occurred near Vedadri in Jaggayyapeta mandal, about 75 km from here.
According to police a truck laden with cement collided head-on with the tractor, which was carrying 26 people, who were returning after 'darshan' at a temple.
The victims were Telangana's Khammam district and were returning home after visiting Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Vedadri.
The deceased include four children. The injured were shifted to government-run hospital at Jaggayyapeta. Four of them are stated to be in critical condition.
The injured included the truck driver. One of the survivors said the speeding truck coming from the opposite direction rammed into the tractor.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has expressed shock over the ghastly road accident. He conveyed condolences to the members of the bereaved families. In a statement, he wished speedy recovery for those injured.
CM instructed the officials to extend all the necessary support and help to the family members of those who died and to the injured persons.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed grief over the accident. He demanded that the government provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased and to the injured.
( With inputs from IANS )