Nitish orders probe into Lakhisarai accident

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday ordered a probe into the Lakhisarai road accident in which 40 people were killed.

"I have asked the Chief Secretary R J M Pillai to probe the matter," Kumar said adding the state government has sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to next of kin of the deceased.

A total of 35 farm labourers were killed and 15 injured when an overloaded truck carrying them veered off a culvert and fall into a river near Ghongsa village in Lakhisarai last night.

Of the 15 wounded, five died battling for life at a hospital in Sikandra on Sunday, raising the toll to 40," district police superintendent S P Shukla said.