10 killed, 1 injured in truck-jeep collision in Gujarat

Surat, May 5 (UNI) As many as ten persons, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed and one person sustained serious injuries after the jeep in which they were travelling, collided with a truck near Bajipura village of Vyara taluka in Tapi District, late last night.

The Qualis jeep, carrying eleven persons including the driver, was on its way to Surat city after attending a Lohar Samaj meeting held in Sahada village of Nandurbar district, police said.

The incident occurred when the jeep's driver lost control over the vehicle while trying to overtake a truck loaded with sugarcane.

The jeep was crushed under the truck and mangled, police informed.

Rescue teams had to use gas cutters to cut the mangled jeep to remove the bodies, police said.

Seriously injured Mangu Lohar was rushed to Surat Municipal Hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. The deceased include president of Lohar Samaj Rajendra Saligram Lohar. All the victims are residents of Pandesara area of Surat city, sources said.

The villagers who heard huge sound of the collision, rushed to the site but could not help much to save the lives, sources said.

The other deceased were identified as Nitin Limba Lohar, Manilal Shankar Lohar, Bhupendra L Lohar, Nishaben Bhuupendra Lohar (9), Himat Rajput, jeep-driver Devidas, Kailas Narottam Lohar, Pramod Gajanand Lohar and Hiralal A Lohar.

The truck driver and cleaner fled from the accident site, police added.

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