AT LEAST 12 PEOPLE WERE KILLED WHEN A TRUCK CARRYING A GROUP OF PEOPLE CRASHED INTO A TREE IN INDIA'S EASTERN STATE OF WEST BENGAL, LOCAL MEDIA REPORTED SATURDAY. POLICE SAID THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK CAUSING THE ACCIDENT IN THE MALDA DISTRICT, 300 KILOMETRES NORTH OF THE STATE CAPITAL KOLKATA, LATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. WHILE FIVE PEOPLE DIED INSTANTANEOUSLY, SEVEN OTHERS SUCCUMBED TO THEIR INJURIES IN THE HOSPITAL, THE PTI NEWS AGENCY REPORTED. AT LEAST 48 OTHERS WHO SUSTAINED INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITALS, WHERE THE CONDITION OF SEVEN OF THE WOUNDED WAS DESCRIBED AS "SERIOUS." ROAD ACCIDENTS ARE COMMON IN INDIA AND CLAIM OVER 80,000 LIVES EVERY YEAR, THE NEWS AGENCY DPA REPORTED. INDIAN PREMIER MANMOHAN SINGH RECENTLY LAMENTED THE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC LOSS FROM THE ROAD ACCIDENTS AND CALLED FOR A MAJOR ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
