At least nine persons were killed and six others critically injured when a Tata Venture carrying devotees from Kotakpura to Kali Mata Shrine in Patiala, collided with a truck at Pakho Kenchia Chowk in Barnala district on Saturday night.
As per initial reports, six persons died on the spot while three others died on way to hospital. All those killed belonged to Kotkapura town and were going to Patiala to offer prayers at the Kali Devi temple, reports added. The truck driver was absconding.
Expressing deep shock and anguish over the tragic accident, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal shared his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and prayed to the Almighty to give them courage to bear this irreparable loss in the hour of crisis and grant peace to the departed souls
Badal, expressing profound grief and sorrow over this disastrous accident, also announced an ex gratia grant of `1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and directed the district administration to provide free treatment to all the injured.