7 killed as truck falls into Mirsharai ditch

- Driver loses control, 7 dead on spot

- Process underway to identify victims

- Rice-laden truck was coming in from Naogaon

Seven people were killed in Chittagong’s Mirsharai upazila this morning after a truck veered off the road and landed into a roadside land.

The deceased were primarily identified as Monirul Islam, 45, Kamal Mia, 40, Saiful, 40, Tipu, 35, Alam, 35, Rubel, 25, and Azad, 25, our local correspondent reports.

The incident took place on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway’s Sonapahar area around 5:30am, said Zahidul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Jorarganj Police Station.

Four others were injured in the incident. One of them, Shah Alam, alleged that the helper of the truck was driving the vehicle while the driver was sleeping.

The rice-laden truck was said to be travelling towards Chittagong from Naogaon. All the victims, who were aboard the truck, died on the spot, the OC said.

The driver and his helper managed to flee after the incident.