Five women of the same family were killed and six others injured when the van they were travelling in rammed into a tree in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, police said on Sunday.
The victims, who hailed from Malgaon village, were returning from Khatti Khorpa village in neighbouring Raipur district after attending the post-death rituals of their relative.
"The accident occurred around 11 pm on Saturday near Kopra village under Panduka police station area when the driver apparently lost his control over the van and it crashed into the tree," said Sukhnandan Rathore, Gariaband Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP).
The women, identified as Bagauti Nishad, Kala Bai, Parwat Bai, Kej Bai and Tej Bai, died on the spot, he said. Six others, including three women, a 15-year-old boy, and the driver of the van suffered serious injuries while another occupant, a girl, escaped unhurt, he said.
The injured were shifted to a hospital in Rajim from where they were referred to Raipur for further treatment, he said.
A case has been registered.
