Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur/Balod

Raipur/Balod, Sep 25: Six people were killed and 11 others injured after a wheat-laden 16-wheeler truck rammed into a stationary mini goods vehicle at Markatola Ghat on National Highway-30 in Chhattisgarh's Balod district on Friday, officials said.

The accident occurred around noon in the Purur police station area when the truck, travelling from Raipur towards Jagdalpur, collided with the mini goods vehicle that had broken down and was parked on the roadside near Markatola Ghat.

According to police, the stationary vehicle was carrying members of a 'Dhumal' music troupe from Kawardha (Kabirdham) to Jagdalpur. Some of the occupants had left the vehicle to look for a mechanic when the truck crashed into it with force.

The impact dragged the stationary vehicle for around 50 metres before the truck overturned.

The collision was so severe that several victims were trapped beneath sacks of wheat being carried by the truck. Eyewitnesses said the bodies of the deceased and injured were buried under the wheat sacks following the crash.

Rescue operations began immediately amid heavy rain. Teams from two police stations, assisted by local residents, removed the wheat sacks and debris to reach the victims and pull them out.

The injured were subsequently shifted by ambulance to Dhamtari District Hospital for treatment.

Balod Additional Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Govarna said two people died on the spot, while four others succumbed to their injuries during treatment.

Of the 11 injured, seven were reported to be in critical condition and were referred to Raipur for advanced medical care.

The deceased were residents of Kawardha.

The truck driver fled the scene following the accident, and police have launched a search to trace him.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the loss of lives and assured that necessary steps had been taken for the treatment of the injured.

"The news of the untimely demise of many people in the horrific road accident at Markatola Ghat in Balod district is extremely saddening. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking incident. I pray for the peace of the departed souls and the speedy recovery of the injured. Necessary instructions have been issued to the authorities to ensure proper treatment of the injured. The Chhattisgarh government stands with the affected families in this hour of grief," Sai said in a post on X.

Police have registered a case and begun an investigation into the circumstances that led to the accident.

Post-mortem examinations of the deceased were under way. The injured remain under treatment, while some of them were still in a state of shock and could not be identified immediately.