6 killed, 10 hurt in SUV-truck collision in Chhattisgarh

Six people, including a woman and a minor girl, were killed and 10 others injured when an SUV collided with a truck in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district on Monday, a police official said.

The mishap took place at Pendari Ghat when 15 people were going in the SUV (sports utility vehicle) from Balrampur district to visit a temple in neighbouring Surajpur, he said.

According to preliminary information, the driver of the truck coming from the opposite direction lost control over the wheels due to some technical snag in its gear box.

As a result, the truck collided head on with the SUV, killing five people, including drivers of both the vehicles, on the spot, he said.

On getting information, a police team rushed to the spot and took the victims to a local hospital where a woman also succumbed to her injuries, the official said.

The deceased were identified as Ratu Bhuiya (45), Dhyan Ram Bhuiya (50), Reshma (12), Andulna (45), SUV's driver Pannalal Kushwaha (32), all natives of Balrampur district, and truck driver Shanshah Ahmed (32), a native of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh, the official said.

The injured were later referred to another hospital in Ambikapur district, he added.