Four teenage girls were killed and three others injured after a goods vehicle ran over them in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district and overturned, police said on Saturday. The accident happened in Thadrang village near Mawlasnai police outpost on Friday, they said. The dumper was heading to Bhoirymbong from Jowai in the West Jaintia Hills district when it hit the pedestrians, they added.
Three girls died at the scene, while another succumbed to her injuries later. The victims were identified as Phibanpyntngen Rynjah (13), Lashimti Nongrum (13), Theresa Nongrum (19), and Ridahunlang Nongrum (13), all residents of Thadrang Madan Lyngbah village under Umiam police station.
Another girl from the group sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment. The truck driver and his helper were also injured in the crash, police added. Authorities have seized the vehicle and registered a case. After post-mortem examinations, the bodies were handed over to the victims’ families. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.