1st LD Writethru: 9 killed in truck-bus collision in central India

NEW DELHI, May 21 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 20 others injured in a collision between a truck and a bus in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, police said Monday.

The accident occurred near Guna district, some 200 kms from state capital Bhopal.

"The bus carrying some 32 people, including a driver and a conductor, to the state of Gujarat collided head-on with the truck coming from the opposite direction," a police official said.

While nine people died in the impact of the crash, those injured have been admitted to a local hospital, he said, adding that all the victims were occupants of the ill-fated bus.

"The death toll may go up as the condition of some five injured people are serious. They have suffered head injuries," the official said.

Eye-witnesses told cops that both the truck was travelling at high speed and its driver lost control of the vehicle while overtaking another vehicle, leading to the head-on collision.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said. "A manhunt has been launched to track down the truck driver who is absconding," he added. Enditem