BULDHANA: In a horrifying incident, a speeding truck struck down 10 labourers, resulting in the immediate deaths of five individuals as they slept alongside a road on the Nandura-Malkapur state highway in Maharashtra's Buldhana, according to local authorities on Monday.
The tragic event unfolded at approximately 5:30 a.m. when a truck, loaded with a shipment of apples, seemingly veered off the highway and careened into the shelters of the 10 workers, who were engaged in local road repair activities, stated Malkapur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Devram Gawli.
The driver of the truck fled the scene, leaving behind a scene of devastation, according to the police.
SDPO Gawli provided preliminary insights into the accident, suggesting that the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel, leading to this heart-wrenching tragedy. He confirmed that efforts were underway to locate and apprehend the driver, who had abandoned the truck.
"The victims were situated away from the main road, and it appears that the truck veered off its intended course, resulting in this terrible incident. Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver may have fallen asleep while driving. He abandoned the truck and is currently on the run. We have launched a search operation to locate him," SDPO Gawli explained.
The latest count reveals that five workers lost their lives on the spot, while five others sustained severe injuries, with two of them in critical condition. The injured were promptly rushed to nearby Chopde Hospital for medical attention.
SDPO Gawli identified some of the deceased victims as Abhishek R. Jambhekar, 18, Prakash B. Jambhekar, 26, and Pankaj T. Jambhekar, 25. Further investigations into the tragic incident are currently underway, as authorities work diligently to uncover the full details surrounding this unfortunate accident.
In a similar incident in the home state, at least ten people were killed in a road mishap in Mariani area in Assam-Nagaland border area on Wednesday, officials said. A senior police officer in Jorhat district said that a vehicle was coming from Kohima to Mariani and it collided with a truck that was coming from the opposite direction. Both the vehicles are reported to have fallen in a deep gorge.
The driver of the truck and his assistant are in critical condition.
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