85 killed as truck plunges into gorge in India
A large lorry crammed with Hindu pilgrims crashed into a gorge in north-western India, killing at least 85 people and injuring 46 others.
The accident happened yesterday when the driver lost control while making a sharp turn near the village of Nagbavji in rural Rajasthan state, police spokesman Rajiv Dusot said.
The truck smashed through a protective barrier on the highway and plunged 80 feet into the gorge, Dusot said. The 12-wheeled truck – normally used to haul large containers – was carrying 145 people.
Rescuers using cranes and searchlights recovered 85 bodies overnight. Another 46 people were taken to hospital with injuries, and the rest escaped unscathed.
The truck’s owner, Gopal Paliwal, had offered a free ride to the pilgrims, he said.
The passengers, from three adjacent villages, were on their way to Ramdev temple, which is revered by both Hindus and Muslims, for an annual pilgrimage.
Nearly 250,000 people visit the shrine during the 10-day pilgrimage each September. This year the festival is scheduled to start September 13, but pilgrims usually arrive several days in advance.
The temple is especially popular with poor Hindus because the temple deity, Baba Ramdev, is believed to be the patron of the downtrodden.
Overcrowded vehicles are a major danger in India, and road accidents caused by reckless driving, ageing vehicles and bad roads are common.
Nagbavji is more than 350 miles south west of New Delhi.
