13 people killed in Surat road accident cremated in Rajasthan's Banswara

JAIPUR: Thirteen people run over by a truck while they were asleep by the side of a road in Gujarat's Surat district were cremated in Rajasthan's Banswara on Wednesday.

A total of 15 lives were lost, including a one-year-old girl child, in Tuesday's tragic accident, which took place as the truck's driver lost control over the vehicle after hitting a sugarcane-laden tractor near a village 80 km from Surat.

The truck ran over the migrant construction workers sleeping on the side of the Kim-Mandvi road, killing 12 on the spot, while three more died at a hospital.

Except for a 19-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, all others were from villages in Banswara.

"Thirteen of the 15 people killed in the accident were from Banswara district. The bodies arrived late last (Tuesday) night and the cremation was held today," Banswara Collector Ankit Kumar Singh said.

He said the deceased – two from Sajjangarh and 11 from Kushalgarh sub division – were from four families.

Superintendent of Police Kavendra Singh Sagar said there were six women and a child among the victims.

They were sleeping on a footpath at the time of the accident, he added.

Each bereaved family was given a cheque of Rs two lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

A district official said five of the victims were members of one family in Bhagatpura village, while four more were from another family in Garadkhoda village.

"All of them were from very poor families and had gone to Gujarat to earn a living," he said.