Nine people, including four kids and three women, died and two were seriously injured when a truck laden with cement overturned on a van carrying a marriage party, which was returning after attending a function in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh early Wednesday.

According to the police, the mishap occurred at the under-construction Sanjeli overbridge in the Kalyanpur area between Thandla and Meghnagar at around 3 AM.

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The truck was coming from Rajasthan with sacks of cement loaded in it. The van was carrying 11 people from two families, returning from a wedding.

Police investigations suggested that the truck driver apparently lost control over the heavy vehicle due to potholes and uneven surface because of the under-construction road, and the truck overturned onto the van.

The load of the cement fell upon the van, and it got almost completely crushed under it.

According to Jhabua SP Padma Vilochan Shukla, nine people in the van died and two were injured.

The deceased were identified as Mukesh Khaped (40), his wife Sawli (35), son Vinod (16) and daughter Payal (12), along with Madhi Bamaniya (38), Vijay Bamaniya (14), Kanta Bamaniya (14), Ragini Bamaniya (9), and Akoli Parmar (35).

The injured include Payal Parmar (19) and Ashu Bamaniya (5).

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav expressed grief at the mishap. He announced an ex-gratia financial relief of Rs four lakh to the kin of each deceased, and directed officials to provide all necessary treatment to the injured.