Three children among seven dead after truck runs over them in Jharkhand's Khunti

• Seven people, including three children, were killed and one injured after an 18-wheel truck ran over a crowd in Khunti, Jharkhand

• The victims had gathered on the Karra-Torpa road to help a scooter rider who had fallen into a ditch

• Chief minister Hemant Soren expressed condolences, while police cited darkness and a sharp turn as possible factors in the accident

At least seven people, including three children, were killed and another person injured after an 18-wheel truck ran over a group of people on a road in Jharkhand's Khunti district late Thursday night, police said on Friday.

The accident occurred on the Karra-Torpa main road when several people had gathered to help a scooter rider who had reportedly fallen into a roadside ditch. A number of women and children had also assembled at the spot to watch the incident.

According to Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishabh Garg, the truck was travelling from Torpa when it ran over the crowd while negotiating a sharp turn.

"In the meantime, an 18-wheel truck from Torpa ran over them while taking a sharp turn. The driver might not have seen the crowd due to darkness," Garg told PTI.

The police officer confirmed that seven people lost their lives, while one person sustained injuries. Six victims died at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries during treatment.

Among the deceased were three women, three children and one man, the SP said.

The incident has triggered grief across the district, with Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren expressing condolences to the bereaved families.

In a post on X, Soren said he was deeply saddened by the news of seven people losing their lives in the road accident in Karra, Khunti.

He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and prayed for peace for the departed souls.

"May Marang Buru grant peace to the souls of the departed and give their grieving families the strength to bear this sorrow," the chief minister said.

Police are looking into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Preliminary information suggests that darkness and the sharp turn may have prevented the truck driver from noticing the people gathered on the road.

With PTI inputs