Jharkhand: Speeding truck kills 6, injures 2 in Ramgarh

RAMGARH: One more infant died on Thursday taking the toll of the Barkakana incident, when a speeding truck crushed several people near a Durga Puja here, to six.
The incident took place on Wednesday near Hehal village under Barkakana police outpost around 4 pm.
As many as eight people were run over just 500 meters away from a Durga Puja pandal right next to the road, where over 200 people had gathered to take part in the immersion processions on the occasion of Dussehra.The 12-wheeler truck involved in the incident was ferrying coal from Khalari in Ranchi to a private steel plant in Bhurkunda in Ramgarh. The driver of the truck was arrested hours after the incident, the local police said.
As many as five people, including two women and two children, were killed on the spot. A two-year-old infant, who was admitted to the Ramgarh Sadar Hospital, succumbed to his injuries hours later. Two others remained critical on Thursday. “A probe into the incident has been ordered. The incident will be investigated by a senior police officer. The administration is extending all help to the injured and their families,” Ramgarh deputy commissioner Madhavi Mishra told TOI.
The deceased were identified as Priyanka Devi (30), her three-year-old daughter Durga Kumari, Sajida Khatoon (35), Sanaullah Ansari (22), Alimun Nisha (45) and Tareeq Jameer (2). The injured were identified as Ishrail Ansari (24) and Adiya Rawani. All deceased and the injured are locals and were waiting at a bus stop on the Ranchi-Pithoria-Ramgarh state highway when they were mowed down, the police said.
Patratu subdivisional police officer Birendra Kumar Chaudhary said, “The truck was on its way to Venkatesh Steel factory near Bhurkunda from Khalari in Ramgarh district. The driver was supposed to take a cut and head towards the factory but missed it and drove up at least four kilometres ahead to the site of the accident. The truck was cruising at a break-neck speed and lost control and ran over the people who were waiting for public transport.”
Hundreds of locals blocked the busy state highway for over six hours.