Ten Chhath devotees killed in a road mishap in Assam's Karimganj

Police said the auto rickshaw was on its way towards Karimganj when the truck collided with it

Ten persons including five women and two children were killed after the autorickshaw in which they were returning home after the Chhath puja rituals collided with a truck in South Assam's Karimganj district on Thursday morning.

Nine persons died on the spot while the other victim succumbed to the injuries in a hospital later.

Police said the incident took place on NH-8 at the Baithakhal areas near the Karimganj-Tripura border. Police said the victims were on their way towards Karimganj when the cement-laden truck collided head-on.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that the auto-rickshaw was running at a high speed and could not prevent the mishap. But it is too early to reach a conclusion," a police official in Karimganj, situated about 400-kms from Guwahati, said.

The driver of the truck fled after the accident, leaving his vehicle behind.

Police said the victims were workers in a tea estate in the Karimganj district.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled the deaths and said police were looking for the truck driver.

Sarma announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of the victims. He also instructed the district administration and police to provide all assistance to the families.

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