At least nine people are feared dead in a road accident in Assam’s Karimganj district on November 11.
Police said that the ill-fated people were travelling in an auto-rickshaw which was hit by a truck.
It is learnt that the auto-rickshaw was a part of Chhath puja procession.
A police officer of Karimganj district said the accident occurred after a head-on-collision between a truck and an auto-rickshaw.
“The incident took place on National Highway 8 in the Baithakhal area. We have received information that at least nine people were killed in the incident. One body has reached the Karimganj civil hospital,” the police officer said.
“Most of the people killed in the accident were children and women. Total, 10 people were in the auto-rickshaw. They were returning to their home after performing Chhath puja in the morning. The truck was coming from the opposite direction and collided head-on with the auto-rickshaw. Nine people died on the spot and one person was taken to hospital in a serious condition,” said a police officer.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled the deaths and tweeted: “I deeply mourn tragic death of 9 persons in an accident at Baitakhal, Patharkhandi this morning. One injured is admitted to hospital. Assam Police is trying to trace driver of the truck who had fled the scene after hitting the auto deceased were travelling in.”
Further details are awaited.
