24 dead,17 hurt as overloaded truck overturns in Sanand

Sanand police said 17 of them who survived had been admitted to V S hospital in Ahmedabad. They said most of the passengers were buried in the 300 sacks of salt (weighing 50 kg each) which fell on them.

The accident took place around 5 am when most of those on the truck were asleep.

R K Patel,deputy superintendent of police (Ahmedabad rural),said the victims hailed from Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh and were working at Sriram Salt company at Kadol village in Bhachau of Kutch district. He said since the season was over,the labourers were headed home after eight months.

Patel said most of the deceased suffered head injuries. A three-month-old infant who survived is being treated at V S hospital,he said.

“The victims were waiting at Bhachau bus stand to catch a bus to Jhabua. The ill-fated truck’s driver,who was also going to Indore in MP,offered them cheap fares. The labourers got in and settled themselves on the 300 sacks of salt loaded in the truck,” said Patel.

He said there were more than 80 labourers who were returning home and they all were travelling in three trucks since the fares were cheap.

Patel said that prima facie,the reason behind the accident could be that the driver,who has since been absconding,dozed off and lost the control. The ditch where the truck fell in is at least 10 feet away from the main road.

“The moment I reached the spot around 5:30 am,I heard several voices crying for help. They were buried under white sacks scattered all around. The sacks were so heavy that we were unable to lift them. Many people died as we didn’t have enough hands to rescue them on time,” said Suresh Sadhu,pilot of 108 emergency service,who was the first person to reach the spot.

Police said a team of officials from MP,including Indore MLA Jitu Jirati,will be coming to Sanand to take the bodies back home.