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Speeding truck crushes 7 to death in India

Xinhua, August 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least seven Hindu pilgrims were killed and seven others injured Tuesday after a speeding truck crushed them in northern Indian state of Uttar Pardesh, officials said.

The truck overran the pilgrims sleeping on the footpath in the Hindu holy town of Ayodhya in Faizabad district, about 135 km east of Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

"Seven pilgrims including four women were killed and seven others injured after being hit by a vehicle today during the wee hours," an official posted in Ayodhya town said. "The devotees had come from Kanpur to attend a religious gathering that is going on here."

Following the accident, the truck managed to fled from scene.

"The injured were immediately removed to a local hospital, wherefrom two were referred to Lucknow trauma centre owing to their critical condition," the official said.

There accident evoked widespread resentment from the gathered pilgrims in the town. Thousands of Hindu devotees have gathered in the town to take part in religious celebrations that would go on for a fortnight.

Police officials have registered a case and initiated a search to locate the driver and his vehicle.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Last year 146,133 people were killed and 500,279 others injured in 501,423 road accidents across India, a latest report released by India's ministry of road transport said. Endit