Three elephants killed after being hit by speeding lorry in AP

The vehicle was being driven at a high speed and the driver is suspected to have been in an inebriated state and escaped from the spot, Chittoor divisional forest officer DFO Chaitanya Kumar Reddy told PTI. Except the adult, which managed to escape, the other three elephants died in the accident.

Three elephants from a herd of four died when a speeding lorry hit them in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, forest officials said on Thursday.

The accident occurred at Jagamarla cross near Palamaner on the Bengaluru-Chennai National Highway (NH 4) in Chittoor district on Wednesday night.

''A lorry hit the elephant herd crossing the highway. The vehicle was being driven at a high speed and the driver is suspected to have been in an inebriated state and escaped from the spot,'' Chittoor divisional forest officer (DFO) Chaitanya Kumar Reddy told PTI. The herd consisted of four elephants, one female adult, two male sub-adults and a female calf. Except the adult, which managed to escape, the other three elephants died in the accident. Reddy said forest officials rushed to the spot on receiving information and conducted the panchnama (inquest), including moving the carcasses out of the highway. Meanwhile, the DFO said a search is on for the driver while the lorry is under their control, even as standard operating procedures (SOPs) were being followed.