11 killed, 15 injured after pickup van rolls down into gorge in India

APD NEWS

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At least 11 people were killed and 15 others injured Thursday after a pickup van carrying them rolled down into a gorge in central Indian state of Madhya, police said.

The accident took place near Chargawan in Jabalpur, about 310 km east of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.

"Early today in a tragic accident here, 11 people were killed and 15 others injured when a pickup van met an accident. The van skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge," Rajandra Bagri, a police officer in Chargawan told Xinhua over telephone.

"The injured have been removed to nearest medical facility and critical ones were referred to medical college hospital."

All the victims have been identified as labourers from neighbouring Maharashtra state.

Bagri said the bodies have been taken for post-mortem and subsequently would be handed over to their families.

The laborers, according to officials, were travelling in a forest department van.

The cause of accident was not immediately known.

"We have registered a case and are investigating the cause of accident. Prima-facie the van was overloaded," Bagri said.

Deadly road accidents are common in India, often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)