GUWAHATI, Nov 11: Nine returnees from Chhath Puja celebrations along with the driver of the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in, died after a speeding cement-laden truck rammed into the three-wheeler on the Assam-Tripura highway at Baithakhal in southern Assam’s Karimganj district on Thursday morning, police sources said.
According to reports, the deceased, including women and children, were identified as Duja Bai Panika, Shalu Bai Panika, Gaurab Das Panika, Lalan Goswami, Sambhu Das Panika, Puja Gaur, Dev Gaur, Mangali Karmakar, Topu Karmakar and Sanu Ree.
Nine died on the spot, while another was rushed to hospital but succumbed to injuries later.
Patherkandi police said the victims belonged to areas under two tea gardens in the district while another hailed from neighbouring Tripura.
“The incident took place around 7:30am. Additional forces have been deployed at the site to avert any further untoward development and we have started investigation,” a police source said.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while offering his condolences, directed the district administration to extend all help to the families of the deceased.
The chief minister further asked the police to trace the driver of the truck.
A manhunt has been launched to nab the driver of the 12-wheel truck (bearing registration number NL-01Q-0088), who fled the site after the mishap, police said.
Patherkandi MLA, Krishnendu Paul, in a Twitter post, said that the chief minister spoke to him over telephone, took details of the incident and directed to provide Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the deceased’s families for the time-being.