Jalgaon (Maharashtra): Fifteen people were killed and five others injured after a truck carrying labourers overturned and fell into a roadside pit in this district. The accident took place in the wee hours of Monday near a temple in Kingaon village around 1.00am. The papaya-laden truck was on its way to Yawal tehsil in Jalgaon from Dhule, an official from Yawal police station said. The deceased included two children, aged three and five years, and a 15-year-old girl. A 14-year-old boy, who was sleeping on top of the truck, escaped unhurt, the official informed. The labourers belonged to Abhoda, Vivra, Kerhala villages and Raver tehsil in the district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief at the loss of lives. “Heart-wrenching truck accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest,” Modi said in a tweet posted by his office.
The Maharashtra government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2,00,000 to the kin of each of the deceased.
After the accident, police and some locals rushed to the spot. The truck was brought out of the pit with the help of a JCB machine, the police official said. Among the five injured, the truck driver was also badly hurt. The injured were admitted to Jalgaon Civil Hospital where two of them are reported to be in a serious condition, said an official.
The accident may have taken place due to a technical fault in the vehicle, a police official said. “But, we have asked the regional transport office (RTO) to submit a report. A case has been registered against the truck driver under Indian Penal Code Section 304-II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder),” he said.
A 14-year-old boy, Ramzan Tadvi, who was sleeping on top of the truck, escaped unhurt. He woke up when the vehicle overturned and ran away from the spot, said an official. The boy, who is an eyewitness to the accident, is a resident of Abhoda village. He used to go along with his mother to work in farms, but for the last two-three days, he was going alone, official said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray termed the accident as ‘unfortunate’ and condoled the loss of lives. He said the government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured persons.
