13 dead after truck crushes tempo in Maha's Buldhana

Thirteen people, including five women and two children, were Monday killed and three injured when a truck overturned on their tempo on the Mumbai-Nagpur Highway in Maharashtra's Buldhana district, police said. The accident took place in Malkapur at around 2:15, an official said, adding that the deceased was brick-kiln workers who were returning to Anurabad village after buying groceries.

"The truck driver lost control after a tyre burst, following which the vehicle veered and fell on top of the tempo, crushing it. Thirteen passengers of the tempo died instantly and three suffered grievous injuries. An accidental death case has been registered and the probe is underway," Superintendent of Police Dilip Patil Bhujbal said. The truck, which had left Kutch in Gujarat on May 18, was ferrying 400 bags of salt to Nagpur, the official said.

Among the dead, five are from Anurabad, six from Nagzari and two from Bhusawal, he added. A team has been formed to nab the driver who absconded from the spot, the SP said.