Heavy container kills two in Thane; angry villagers run amok

, Jul 28: Irate villagers damaged several vehicles in Murbad here today when they ran amok over an

at Shivla Phata, which claimed two lives, police said.

According to police, the accident took place around 8AM when the goods on a Murbad-bound heavily loaded container brushed against a jeep with passengers on board at a village near Tokawade. As a result, the jeep lost its balance and dashed against a MSRTC bus coming from the opposite direction.

Two jeep occupants from Eklahare and Manivali village were killed on the spot. However, they have not been identified yet. Furious villagers then gathered on the spot and smashed several vehicles including the big container and tried to set it afire, Murbad MLA Kisan Kathore, who rushed to the scene after the mishap, told PTI.

They also attacked policemen, who reached the spot to control the situation and quell violence, he said. Police are yet to confirm as to how many vehicles were destroyed and how many security personnel were injured in the incident, which brought vehicular traffic on the highway to a halt for nearly more than two hours, blocking it up to five kilometres from the Phata. Senior police officials have rushed to the accident site and further details are awaited.

PTI