Chhattisgarh: 7 students killed after truck collides with auto

Chhattisgarh,Feb 9 :  Five school children were killed on the spot while two more children died in a hospital after the auto they were travelling in collided with a truck at Korer Chilhati Chowk in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, almost 20km from the district headquarters, on Thursday afternoon.

As per information received by the police, an auto driver was ferrying eight school children to their home in his vehicle when it collided with a truck at Korer.

The impact of the collision was such that the auto was completely mangled in the accident and parts of the auto broke, flew and lay scattered across the street. Five children travelling in the autorickshaw were killed on the spot.

The truck that collided with the autorickshaw ferrying eight school children.

After passersby informed police, a police team reached the spot and rushed three children and the auto driver to a nearby hospital.

While two children died in the hospital while being administered treatment, the condition of one child and the auto driver is critical, said police.

Police have launched a manhunt for the truck driver, who fled the spot after the accident.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed his condolences to the families of the children and said he has issued instructions to the health department to extend all possible help to the families.

Superintendent of Police, Kanker, Salabh Sinha said eight school children studying in Bhilai Nair Samajam school were going home in an auto when the accident took place.

“We are looking for the truck driver. He is a resident of Baloda Bazaar. The condition of the auto driver and one of the school boys is serious. They have been referred to a hospital in Ranchi for better treatment,” said the SP.

-The India Today