Jamshedpur : In a major road mishap 13 people, including six women, were killed and 11 others injured when a van carrying Kanwariyas (pilgrims) collided with a speeding truck on Friday morning near Jamshedpur. Eleven people died on the spot, while two succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital.
The victims, devotees of Lord Shiva, were travelling from Puri in Odisha to their homes in Siwan, Bihar. All the victims were residents of Siwan’s Andra Bazar area.
The mishap took place at Daruda� under the Ichagarh police station area ( between Tata-Ranchi)�on� NH-33 in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
Soon after the tragedy the injured, three of them women, including an eight-year-old girl were rushed to MGM Medical College and Hospital from where they were shifted to Tata Main Hospital�for treatment considering the grave situation. Condition of nine injured is�said to be�serious.�
According to information the mishap victims were residents of Andar Bazaar�in �Siwan�district of�Bihar�. They were�returning�home after�a religious trip�which began on August 6,�in two separate pick-up vans, one of which met with the mishap.�
The injured were rescued and carried to the MGM Medical College and Hospital by 9 am.� Some passers-by had informed the Chowka police station, leading a police team to rush to the spot for the rescue work.
As the news spread Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police, Indrajeet Mahatha rushed to the spot and ensured the injured to be rushed to the medical college hospital. Mahatha, said that the mishap took place as a truck deviated from its way and hit the pick-up van.�
He said just before the mishap, the driver of the truck jumped off the truck and fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle.
According to the SP, those killed were identified as Ashish Kumar (22), Dugda Devi (60), Kushum Devi (45), Jaishankar Kumar (35), Dipu Kumar (25),� Asha Devi (50), Anu Kumari (23), Priti Kumari (27), Vikash Kumar (19), Ashok Kumar (18), Vinod Soni (25), Sushanti Devi (45) and Dhiraj Kumar (16).�
The injured were identified as Kintu Devi (42), Paramhans (42), Sambhu Prasad (45), Vishun Ram (42), Rahul Kumar (12), Nandini Kumari (8), Monu (16), Sudhanti Devi (55), Raju Kumar (23)and Amarjeet Prasad (24).�
Latter in the day, former CM Arjun Munda went to TMH and met with the injured. He expressed grief over the tragedy.