HARIPUR/BATKHELA: Five members of a family, including two women and a minor girl, were killed, a man was injured critically, when a van skidded off the road and fell into a ravine in a hilly area of Khanpur tehsil here on Friday, the police said.

The Makhniyal police said the high-roof was on way to the Haripur city from Jabri village. However, when it reached near Dabran village, the driver lost control over the steering due to bad condition of the road and reckless driving, plunging the vehicle into a gorge. They said five persons were killed on the spot.

The locals shifted the bodies and the injured to the Haripur Trauma Centre.

The victims were identified as Sardar Muzaffar Khan, the van driver, his wife Safia Bibi, Mehreen Bibi, wife of Mohammad Liaqat, her daughter Aneeza Bibi, 5, and Zarda Bibi. Mohammad Liaqat, who was injured critically, was referred to Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist was killed when a speeding car hit his bike near Paniyan village.

The victim was named Sher Khan of Bailgran village, who was on way back home from Haripur city.

Meanwhile, two passengers were killed and five others injured when a car and a truck collided inside the newly-built Swat Expressway tunnel in Malakand district on Friday.

According to the Malakand Levies, the car going in a wedding party was on way from Lower Dir to Islamabad. Sherin Bakht from Gilgit and a child, Hashim, died on the spot.

The Recue 1122 personnel shifted the bodies and the injured to the District Headquarter Hospital, Batkhela.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2020