Ten pilgrims killed on way to Purnagiri Temple in U'khand

Ten devotees, many of them in their teens, were killed and eleven injured when a speeding dumper rammed into a group of pilgrims on a trek to the Purnagiri Temple in neighbouring Champawat district early today, officials said.

The pilgrims from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh were on way to the Purnagiri temple located on a hilltop on foot when they were knocked down by the dumper coming from behind around 5 AM at Bichai, SDM Tanakpur Anil Chanyal said.

Nine pilgrims were killed on the spot and 12 injured out of whom onedied later on way to hospital, taking the number of casualties to ten, he said.

19-year-old Kamal, who was one of the four seriously injured in the mishap, was referred to another hospital. However, he succumbed en route, Champawat District Magistrate Ahmad Iqbal said.

Those seriously injured were admitted to Khatima hospital and the rest to Tanakpur hospital, the SDM said.

The deceased were identified asVir Singh (18), Sonu (8), Vishal (17) Ram Kumar ( 16), Deendayal (35), Babu (12), Kesher Singh ( 16) Ramswaroop (40), Sohan (40) and Kamal (19), all fromBaheri in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, he said.

Search has been intensified to nab the driver of the dumper who fled the spot after the accident. The dumper has a registration of Khatima.