Truck rammed into the concrete barricade in West Khasi Hills

Shillong: At least 16 people were killed and more than 50 wounded on February 26 when a truck carrying Christians going to a church rammed into a concrete road barricade in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, northeastern India.

The accident occurred at Jdohkroh village, 11 km from Nongstoin, the district headquarters of West Khasi Hills.

Police said the speeding truck was carrying people from three villages. Although earlier police estimated that over 30 people were traveling in the truck, later it was found that many fell into the deep gorge.

Sylvester Nongtnger, police chief of West Khasi Hills said all the victims were going toward Nonglang village to attend the synod of Presbyterian Church.

“Twelve people died on the spot and four succumbed to their injuries in hospital,” Nongtnger told agencies.

He said they rescued everyone from the accident spot and rushed them to hospital but many of the survivors have serious injuries.

The police officer quoted the survivors to say that the truck driver was rash and lost control of the vehicle. “After it overturned, many people fell into the deep gorge in this hilly region,” he added.

The dead included nine women and a 13-year-old girl.

The injured, including the driver and helper of the truck, have been rushed to nearby hospitals and to the Shillong Civil Hospital, the police said.

India has some of the world’s deadliest roads with more than 150,000 fatalities annually due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

Last month a school bus carrying dozens of pupils collided with a truck in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state, killing 13 people.