As many as 73 students of government middle school, Rajakatti village were travelling in the tractor to Sonai Dhapai goddess temple to offer prayers in the ongoing 'Navratri' festival.
Five children, including three girls, were killed and twenty five others injured today when a tractor carrying them overturned in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, police said.
The incident took place this afternoon near Sorid village under Fingeshwar police station limits when the victims, all school children, were going for a visit to a nearby goddess temple, a police official told PTI.
As many as 73 students of government middle school, Rajakatti village were travelling in the tractor to Sonai Dhapai goddess temple to offer prayers in the ongoing 'Navratri' festival, he said.
When the vehicle reached near Sorid village, the driver lost control over steering and it overturned leaving five students, including three girls, dead on the spot, he said.
25 other students sustained injuries, nine of them were said to be critical, the official added.
First aid was provided to the injured who were lated shifted to Fineshwar hospital, police said.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the students were accompanied by two teachers of the school but they escaped from the spot after the incident, he said.
A case has been registered in this connection, police said, efforts are on to nab the absconding driver.