GUWAHATI, May 23 � The death toll in Saturday night�s tragic road mishap on NH 37 in Dapli area under Dudhnoi Police Station has gone up to 12. The condition of one of the four injured is stated to be critical.
Police said the truck which was coming towards Guwahati, ran over a group of persons, who were returning from a Bihu function around 9:40 pm.
�It appears that the victims had no clue about the movement of the truck. Such was the force that some of the bodies had to be fished out from a nearby pond,� police said.
Sources informed that while nine of them died on the spot, three others were declared brought dead by the hospital authorities.
The dead have been identified as Runu Rabha, Konika Rabha, Kaushalya Rabha, Bobita Rabha, Deepankar Rabha, Kumar Rabha, Ajoi Rabha, Ritul Sutradhar, Sonmoni Rabha, Anjani Rabha, Golapi Rabha and Madhabi. The dead also included minors.
�We are on the lookout for the truck and search operation is on,� said a police official.
Meanwhile, local residents blocked the NH 37 in the area and demanded a thorough investigation into the case.
Residents also alleged that absence of proper illumination facilities had led to the mishap and the Government must take the concern of the people into consideration.
