At least 16 dead as truck carrying laborers crashes in western India

New Delhi, Feb 15 (efe-epa).- At least 16 people were killed and two others injured after a truck carrying laborers and their families crashed along a highway in western India on Monday, according to official sources.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday in Jalgaon district in the state of Maharashtra, when “the driver lost control” of the truck which overturned, a police spokesperson from the district control room, who preferred to remain anonymous, told EFE.

The accident left 16 dead and two injured, the spokesperson said.

The Indian authorities expressed their condolences through their official Twitter handles.

“Deeply distressed to learn that a truck carrying labourers, women and children overturned near Jalgaon in Maharashtra resulting in deaths of many. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and wish an early recovery for the injured,” tweeted President Ram Nath Kovind.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his part, expressed condolences to the families affected and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured.

“PM @narendramodi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic truck accident in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured,” the Prime Minister’s Office said on Twitter.

Traffic accidents in India are common due to poor condition of roads, precarious state of some vehicles and lack of respect for traffic rules.

In 2019, a total of 151,113 people lost their lives and more than 451,000 others were injured in some 449,000 road accidents in India, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Road and Highway Transport. EFE-EPA

sc-mvg