SHILLONG: Five people, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed and 18 others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling fell into a deep gorge of about 100 feet in a village in Mawsynram on Monday morning.
Police informed that all the five victims are female and the accident took place at 6 am.
The victims have been identified as Bisilo Rodborne (37) from Tyngnger village, Sillamery Katrai (52), Aitildabon Jeengaph (70), Nancy Laitthma (38) and 12- year- old girl Ilawanpynshailang Laitthma – all from Dewsaw village.
The SP (City), Stephan Rynjah, said the accident occurred when an overloaded Mahindra Maxx (ML06 3678) with 23 passengers plunged into a deep gorge at Tyngnger village.
Due to overloading, the driver of the vehicle, which was proceeding to Mawsynram, could not negotiate an incline and it slid backwards before going down the gorge, Rynjah said.
“It appears to be a mechanical failure and we are waiting for more details”, he said. He said while four persons died on the spot, another died in Shillong Civil Hospital in the evening.
The injured passengers have been rushed to the nearby Community and Health Centre and Civil Hospital for treatment.
The police official said since overloading seems to be the reason for the accident, a criminal case will be filed against the driver.
To a query, the official admitted that there is less manpower on the outskirts of the city to check overloading.
“We do not have bifurcated traffic branches and hence it is difficult to man all the areas but we have already issued orders against overloading”, Rynjah said.
