An autorickshaw carrying 10 Chhath devotees collided with a truck near Assam's border with Tripura, leaving all of them dead, police officials said today. While nine died on the spot, the other devotee who had managed to survive the impact died at the hospital, they added.
The accident took place at NH-8 in the Karimganj district of Assam.
"Most of the people killed in the accident were children and female. They were traveling back to their home in an autorickshaw after performing Chhath Puja. The truck which was coming from the opposite direction 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 official. The person, who was taken to the hospital, later died of his injuries.
The dead include three men, five women, and two children.
Eyewitness claim that the truck driver was driving at a dangerous speed and hence could not control the vehicle to avoid a collision with the autorickshaw which was approaching from the opposite side.
"The truck driver fled from the scene after the accident. Our search operation is on to arrest him," a senior police officer said.
In a tweet, Assam Forest and Excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya condoled the deaths and assured that the truck driver will be arrested soon.
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