Growing incidents of road mishaps across the state are now unabated and its latest edition, in a tragic accident one housewife killed and 10 others including four women sustained critical injuries, when a auto-rickshaw and Bolero pick up van collided face at Sonatala area of Khowai district on Thursday.

Sources said that the police administration has taken some concrete measures to reduce the growing road mishaps, but at the ground level police personnel are busy with collecting fines despite strict implementation of rules and regulations for smooth traffic movements.

Police sources said that an overloaded auto-rickshaw with 7 to 8 passengers collided in the Sonatala area with the Bolero pick up van, which had 3 to 4 persons on board. Police added that the both vehicles were in heavy speed and overloaded passengers in the auto-rickshaw is one of the main reasons for the tragic accident.

While, after the accede, one housewife identified as Turangi Debbarma (45) of Tulashikar village died on the spot and ten more passengers boarded in the both vehicles including drivers suffered critical injuries and they were identified as Kakali Debbarma (25), Samir Debbarma (39), Mehek Debbarma (18), Rustom Debbarma (28), Lokesh Debbarma (35), Manimal Debbarma (31), Manoj Debbarma (55), Tanushree Debbarma (16), Biraka Debbarma (26) and Payel Debbarma (18).

After the heavy sound of the collision, local people rushed to the spot and with the help of firefighters and police all the injured persons were shifted to Khowai district hospital. Later among the injured persons, nine persons were shifted to Trauma centre of GB Hospital in serious condition.

Soon after the mishap, local MLA Nirmal Biswas, SP(Khowai) Ramesh Kumar Yadav and other senior police officials expedite the rescue operation. Police seized both ill-fated vehicles and lodged a specific FIR.

SP (Khowai) Ramesh Kumar Yadav speaking with media persons has attributed the overloading of passengers in auto-rickshaw and speed is the main reason for the accident. He said that as a permit of an auto-rickshaw, the administration allows 3 plus 1, but often auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws are plying roads with overload conditions.

Meanwhile, GB Hospital sources said that the condition of 3 to 4 injured persons are very critical and remaining admitted passengers are now out of danger.