5 killed in vehicle pile-up in western India

At least five people have been killed in a vehicle pile-up in the western Indian state of Maharashtra Thursday, police said.

The accident occurred on a busy highway at Mangaon town in the state's Raigad district, some 150 km from the state's capital Mumbai.

"A truck, a mini goods carrier and a bike crashed into each other, leading to the pile-up as well as a massive traffic snarl on the highway," a police official said.

While three persons died on the spot, two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital, he said.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official added.

India has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. Road accidents occur mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)