7 Killed, 18 Injured as Truck Rams Into Durga Idol-Carrying Pickup on Samruddhi Expressway

AMRAVATI, OCT 2: At least seven people were killed and 18 others injured after a truck collided head-on with a Bolero pickup van carrying a Durga idol on the Samruddhi Mahamarg in Maharashtra’s Amravati district in the early hours of Friday, police said.

The accident occurred around 3.30 am near chainage number 97, close to Amravati-Dhamangaon Railway. The pickup van was carrying the Durga idol from Shegaon to Wardha when it collided with the truck.

The impact was severe, leaving seven occupants of the pickup van dead on the spot and 18 others seriously injured. Several occupants were trapped inside the damaged vehicle following the collision.

Police and rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident and launched a rescue operation. The injured were taken to hospitals in Sawangi and Sevagram in Wardha district, where they are undergoing treatment.

The accident also disrupted traffic on the expressway as rescue teams worked to remove the damaged vehicles and clear the road.

Police have taken the truck driver into custody and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the collision. The identities of the deceased and injured are being ascertained, while further details are awaited.