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The vehicle involved in the accident in which eight persons were killed near Chilakaladona in Yemmiganur police limits had passed the Dharmapuram toll plaza minutes before the commencement of the `Face Wash and Go,’ police programme on Thursday.

The `Face Wash and Go’ programme, initiated by the Andhra Pradesh Police, stops vehicles at toll plazas and asks drivers to wash their face before proceeding. The programme is in force across the State for over a year. Yemmiganur Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhargavi said; “We are carrying out this exercise daily between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. at the Dharmapuram toll plaza. This is the time when drivers tend to fall asleep. By stopping them for a few minutes and making them wash their faces, their drowsiness reduces.”