At least five persons, including two women and a child, were killed and seven other injured when the SUV where they were travelling in collided with a truck in Dhamtari district on Sunday, police said.
The incident took place near Mulle village under Kurud police station limits on Raipur-Dhamtari road when the victims were going for a picnic, according to SHO Ashirwad Rahatgaonkar, of Kurud police station. As per reports, students of a coaching centre along with their teacher and his family were on their way to Murumsilli dam in the SUV in Dhamtari district for a picnic, he said.
When their vehicle reached at Mulle turn, it collided with a truck headlong leading to death of four persons on the spot including the driver, the official said.
Police rushed to the spot and admitted the injured to Kurud hospital where another succumbed during treatment, the SHO said.
The identity of the victims was being ascertained, he said.
A case has been registered in this connection, said Rahatgaonkar, adding, efforts were on to trace the truck driver who escaped from the spot after the mishap.