Maharashtra: 15 killed, 5 injured in road mishap; PM condoles death

Five labourers have sustained serious injuries and are being treated at a rural hospital, police said

Fifteen labourers were killed and at least five were severely injured when the truck carrying them overturned near Kingaon village in Yaval taluka of Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district in the early hours of Monday. Seven men, six women and two children lost their lives in the accident.

15 labourers died and several were injured after a truck overturned in Jalgaon, Maharashtra late on Sunday. (HT photo)

According to the highway traffic police, the truck, which was also carrying papayas, was on its way from Sakri in Dhule district to Raver in Jalgaon district when the accident took place.

Police officials said the truck driver lost control over the wheel because of potholes. “The truck was taking a steep turn when it overturned and the labourers were crushed under the papayas,” said a police officer. Most of the people were from Abhoda, as per the police.

The driver of the vehicle, Shaikh Zahir Baddruddin, has also sustained minor injuries and is being treated at a rural hospital along with the other injured labourers. Police said he will be arrested by the Yaval police after being discharged from the hospital.

They said they have registered a case of accidental death and are investigating it further. “Since the accident took place a few minutes after midnight, the rescue operations were delayed. However, the injured have been admitted and are receiving treatment,” said a police officer.

The police are trying to contact next of kin of the deceased to hand over their bodies after the postmortem.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mourned the loss of lives and prayed for an early recovery of those injured.

“Heart-wrenching truck accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a tweet on Monday.