Eleven people were killed and 20 injured when a speeding truck mowed through a group of pilgrims at Tanakpur in Champawat district on Friday morning, police said.
Four of the deceased were children.
Champawat superintendent of police Dhirendra Gunjiyal told HT over the phone that while nine pilgrims died on the spot, two succumbed to their injuries in a nearby hospital soon afterwards.
All the victims hailed from Nawabganj in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. Nine of them were identified as Keshar Singh (16), Veer Singh (18), Vishal (17), Rajkumar (16), Deendayal (35), Babu (12), Sonu (18), Sohan Lal (40) and Ramswroop (45).
The incident occurred while the pilgrims were heading to the Purnagiri shrine on foot, said Tanakpur circle officer RS Rautela. “The group had reached the vicinity of the commercial tax office on NH-125 around 4.30 am when a speeding dumper lost control and mowed through them. Around 20 pilgrims were also injured in the incident,” he added.
Army personnel from the nearby Banbasa military station launched rescue operations along with the police and local residents. The injured were taken to Tanakpur hospital, from where eight were later referred to Khatima hospital in US Nagar.
{{/usCountry}}Army personnel from the nearby Banbasa military station launched rescue operations along with the police and local residents. The injured were taken to Tanakpur hospital, from where eight were later referred to Khatima hospital in US Nagar.
{{/usCountry}}The driver of the truck, registered at the US Nagar regional transport office, managed to escape after the accident.
In a previous incident, five pilgrims – including two women and an infant – were killed after their Maruti van collided with a sand lorry in Nanakmatta of US Nagar on Monday evening.