KHUNTI, November 6 (Aalimi Nation) – Seven people, including children, were killed in Jharkhand's Khunti district on Thursday night when a speeding trailer truck ran over villagers who had gathered on a road to help an injured scooter rider, according to police and local accounts. The Khunti road accident has led to a protest by residents demanding the arrest of the driver and compensation for the families.
What happened on the Karra-Torpa road
The crash took place at about 10 p.m. near the Jone-Ludru turn on the Karra-Torpa main road, under the Karra police station area. A scooter rider had fallen into roadside bushes, and residents, including women and children, gathered at the spot to help him.
An 18-wheeler trailer truck, reportedly coming at high speed from the Torpa side, then ran over the people standing by the road, police said. Six people died at the scene. A 12-year-old boy was taken to Khunti Sadar Hospital, where he died during treatment. A young girl was injured and was admitted to the same hospital.
Reports differ on the make-up of the dead. One account says four women and three children were among them, while another mentions three children. ## Driver absconding, villagers allege intoxication
The driver of the trailer and his helper fled the spot, according to local accounts. Villagers alleged that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. That claim has not been confirmed by the police, and it was not clear whether the driver had been arrested. His responsibility for the crash has not been formally established.
Villagers block the road
On Friday morning, angry residents blocked the main road near the Karra railway crossing, burning tyres and bringing vehicle movement in the area to a halt. They demanded the immediate arrest of the driver, adequate compensation and government jobs for the families of the dead, proper treatment for the injured girl, and stronger road safety arrangements on the stretch.
Protesters said poor visibility and the condition of the road at the Jone-Ludru turn make the spot risky, and that heavy vehicles often pass through at high speed.
Police and administrative officials reached the site and held talks with the protesters to restore normal movement. Officials assured them that assistance and compensation would be provided to the affected families in accordance with government provisions, and additional police personnel were deployed as a precaution.
Condolences from the leadership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief in a post on social media. "Deeply pained by the loss of lives in a mishap in Khunti, Jharkhand," he wrote, extending condolences to those who lost loved ones and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren said on social media: "The heartbreaking news of seven people losing their lives in a road accident in Karra, Khunti, has deeply saddened me." He offered condolences to the families and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
Several details were still awaited at the time of writing, including the identities of the victims, the number of injured, whether a case has been registered against the driver, and whether any arrest has been made.
