NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least five police officials have been killed and four others injured in a road accident in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, police said Monday.
"The accident occurred late Sunday night when a speeding truck ran over the nine policemen while they were conducting a search operation near Akurahan Dhala in the state's Muzaffarpur district," a senior police official said.
While five cops were crushed to death by the speeding truck on the spot, those injured have been admitted to a local hospital where the condition of one is said to be serious, he said.
"The policemen were conducting the search operation after getting a tip-off that a large consignment of liquor was on its way. They had put up barricades on the road, but the speeding truck driver could not stop and ran the policemen over," the official said.
A probe has been ordered into the incident, he said, adding that a massive manhunt has also been launched to track down the truck driver who fled the spot after the accident.
India has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. Road accidents occur mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.
