At least 20 others sustained injuries admitted to a hospital: Police (Representational)
Six people - five women and a minor girl - were killed and at least 20 others injured when the pick-up vehicle in which they were returning from a wedding collided head-on with a truck in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district on Monday, the police said.
All those who died, two of them elderly women, were from the same family, they said.
The accident occurred at around 3 pm near Sisringa village under Dharamjaigarh police station limits when the pick-up vehicle, with over 25 people onboard, was heading towards Chhal village, Raigarh senior police official Santosh Singh said.
The victims, belonging to Maharajganj village under Chhal police station limits, were returning home after attending a wedding function at Rainuma village, he said.
The impact of the collision was so severe that four persons died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital, Mr Singh said.
Those dead were identified as Mathura Bai Rathiya (45), Bilaso Bai Rathiya (60), Devla Bai Rathiya (50), Balmati Rathiya (65), Kesari Bai (40) and Sonam Rathiya (14), he said.
At least 20 others sustained injuries, four of them critically, and were admitted to a hospital in Dharamjaigarh, Mr Singh said.
The pick-up vehicle's driver was among the injured, Mr Singh said.
One of the seriously injured persons was referred to the Raigarh district hospital for further treatment, he said.
A case has been registered and efforts were on to trace the truck driver and his helper, who escaped from the spot after the accident, the police officer said.
The Raigarh district administration announced a compensation of Rs 25,000 each to the relatives of thoses who died, an official statement said.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the accident and directed the district administration to ensure proper treatment to the injured persons, it said.