Five killed as truck hits pickup carrying Durga idol on Samruddhi Expressway

• The pickup was reportedly carrying a Goddess Durga idol from Shegaon to Wardha when a truck struck it from behind

  Five people died; police accounts put the number of injured at 20–21, with two reportedly critical

• Senior police officials visited the accident site and hospital as an investigation began

Five people were killed and at least 20 injured when a truck struck a Bolero pickup van reportedly carrying a Goddess Durga idol from Shegaon to Wardha on the Samruddhi Expressway early on Friday.

The collision occurred at around 12.45 a.m. near Channel 97, close to Dhamangaon Railway in Maharashtra’s Amravati district, police said.

A senior police official told PTI that the truck hit the pickup from behind. Preliminary information indicated that five people died at the scene.

Two of the injured were reported to be in critical condition. Preliminary accounts also listed 10 people with severe injuries and six others with injuries. These figures differed from the overall police tally, which put the number of injured at 20–21.

The injured were rushed to Dhamangaon Rural Hospital for emergency treatment. Police said they were subsequently referred to Wardha Medical College for further care.

Police teams reached the scene and began rescue operations and an investigation into the collision.

Amravati district superintendent of police Niketan Kadam, special inspector general of police Mahesh Patil and Dhamangaon Municipal president Archana Rothe visited the accident site and hospital to assess the situation.

The cause of the crash has yet to be established, and police said a detailed investigation was underway.

With PTI inputs