Chhattisgarh: van-truck collision claims over 10 lives, some criticially injured

Eleven people, including four children, were killed when the pick-up van they were travelling in collided with a truck in Chhattisgarh's Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, police said on Friday.

A dozen others were injured in the accident near Khamariya village under Bhatapara police station area, located around 70 km away from capital Raipur, on Balodabazar-Bhatapara road late Thursday night, they said.

The victims, natives of Khilora village in Simga area, were returning home after attending a family function in Arjuni area when the pick-vehicle collided head-on with the truck, Balodabazar-Bhatapara Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Jha told PTI.

"Eleven persons, including four children, died in the incident while 12 others sustained injuries, two of them critically," he said.

The two critically-injured persons were shifted to a hospital in capital Raipur while 10 others were admitted to Balodabazar district hospital, he said.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, he added.

Efforts are on to trace the truck driver who fled from the spot leaving behind his vehicle, he added.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has expressed grief over the incident and directed the district administration officials to provide all possible assistance to the kin of the deceased and best medical care to the injured.

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