Fifteen migrant labourers, sleeping by the roadside, were crushed to death by a speeding truck in Gujarat’s Surat district on Tuesday morning, news agency PTI reported.
While 12 persons died on the spot, three of the eight injured died in a nearby hospital, police said, adding that all those killed hailed from Rajasthan. The truck driver has been arrested, police said.
The incident took place early this morning near Kosamba village, around 60 km from Surat. The truck ran over them on the Kim-Mandvi road, police said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief at the incident and his office tweeted: “The loss of lives due to a truck accident in Surat is tragic. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest.”
Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the accident in Surat. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 19, 2021
More details awaited
2021-01-18 19:26:04