Five persons were killed and 14 others injured when a Mahindra Bolero vehicle in which they were travelling collided headlong with a truck near Birkoni village of Mahasamund District on Mumbai-Kolkata National Highway on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
The injured have been admitted in Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur for treatment. The condition of seven of the injured are stated to be critical, police said on Thursday.
Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Durlabh Pradhan informed The Pioneer over telephone from Kotwali, Mahasamund that the mishap occurred between 2 to 3 am on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday when a jam packed Mahindra Bolero (CG-04 HA-2830) collided head on with an Odisha registration number truck (OR-01 F-6524) in Ghodri area in Birkoni village about 8 kms from Kotwali police station.
There were 19 occupants in the Bolero which included seven children of age group 3 to 5 years, the ASI said, adding, 'the impact of the collision was so severe that four out of five persons died on the spot while fifth succumbed on way to hospital.
The driver of the vehicle was also among the dead . Out of 14 injured, the seven critically injured have been sent Raipur for better medical care, the ASI maintained.
The victims were on way to Damakheda for participating in the annual fair organised by the followers of Saint Kabir, police said.The truck driver managed to flee from the spot police informed claiming that very soon the driver would be arrested.
According to eye witnesses, the bumper of Bolero was virtually turned into a metal scrap following the collision.The deceased were identified as Yogesh alias Guddu (30) son of Shyam Kumar resident of Sankara, Kavidas Panika(55), Kisni Bai (45) wife of Gurvind Panika, Toran Bai (25) wife of Sanjay Pankia and Shailesh (3) son of Shailesh Panika all residents of Baroli Basna.
Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has expressed profound grief over the death of passengers in the incident and has directed the Mahasamund District Administration to provide all possible assistance to the victims of mishap.