JASHPUR: Four men and a 17-year-old boy were killed when the car they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred near Patratoli village under Duldula police station limits in the early hours while the victims were returning to their native village, Khatanga, after watching an orchestra show at a fair in nearby Manora.

“The car collided head-on with the truck, and the impact was so severe that the vehicle was completely crushed. All five occupants died on the spot,” Duldula Station House Officer KK Sahu said.

Villagers rushed to the scene and informed the police. With local help, Duldula police retrieved the bodies and sent them to the Community Health Centre for post-mortem.

The deceased were identified as Ramprasad Yadav (26), Uday Kumar Chauhan (18), Sagar Triki (22), Dipak Pradhan (19), and Ankit Tigga (17), all residents of Khatanga.

The truck driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind. Police said efforts are underway to trace him.