Seven killed as speeding truck runs over people in Khunti
A trailer truck hit a group of bystanders on the Karra-Torpa road in Jharkhand on Thursday night.
Seven people, including women and children, died and one person was injured after a speeding trailer truck hit a group of people in Jharkhand's Khunti district on Thursday night, according to The New Indian Express.
The accident occurred on the Karra-Torpa main road when the vehicle was negotiating a sharp turn. Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishabh Garg said the driver might have failed to see the crowd due to the darkness.
Eyewitnesses stated that residents had gathered near the roadside to assist a scooter rider who had lost control and veered into bushes. The truck, approaching from the Torpa side, then struck the bystanders.
The impact killed six people at the scene, while a seventh victim died during medical treatment. Among the deceased were three women and three children, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
One resident, Birsa Nayak, lost his wife Kasila Devi, daughter Anjali, and one-year-old grandchild Saurabh. Another man, Rajesh, lost his wife Fagan Sanga, mother Karmi Lohrain, and two daughters, Subhani Kumari and Soni Kumari.
The truck driver and cleaner fled the scene after the collision. Police have taken possession of the bodies and are working to locate the driver and his assistant.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Prime Minister Narendra Modi both expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the families.