17 killed, 8 injured as pickup vehicle falls into gorge in India's Chhattisgarh

NEW DELHI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and eight others injured Monday after a pickup vehicle carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said.

The accident occurred near Bahpani village in Kabirdham district, about 173 km northwest of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

Officials said the pickup truck was carrying 25 workers returning home after plucking tendu leaves from a forest area.

Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the accident.

Local media reported that the workers belonged to Baiga tribal community, who were involved in the bidi-making business, for which they collect tendu leaves.

Bidis are small hand-rolled cigarettes made of tobacco and wrapped in tendu leaf.

Deadly road accidents in India are often caused by overloading, poor road conditions and reckless driving. Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India, officials said.