In an appalling incident, a lorry driver and his cleaner attacked a couple travelling in their lorry and kidnapped the lady after beating her husband black and blue at Murari in East Godavari district last night.

Police said the couple Srinivas and Kavitha, who wanted to go to Visakhapatnam, stopped a speeding lorry at Ravulapalem and requested the driver to give a lift to them. With the driver consenting, they got into the lorry.

After some time, the driver and his cleaner conspired, attacked Srinivas and forcibly ejected him from the vehicle and sped away with Kavitha, according to the complaint lodged with the police.

A stunned and injured Srinivas went to the nearby police station at Gandepalli and lodged complaint with the help of the locals. While Srinivas was admitted to a local hospital, police had launched manhunt to nab the driver and cleaner. (J)