CHAPAINAWABGANJ,  – Eight persons were killed and five others injured as a paddy-laden vehicle, locally known as Bhutbhuti, plunged into a roadside ditch at Barek Bazar under Shibganj upazila of the district this morning.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj Police Station Md. Farid Hossain said the accident occurred in the area when the paddy-laden vehicle suddenly skidded off the road and fell into a roadside ditch at around 6 am.

The deceased are Abul Kashem, Md. Babu, Tajamul, Md. Mithun, Md. Karim, Md. Minu and Ahad Ali of Baliadighi village under Shibganj upazila and Md. Ataur Rahman of Laughata village under the same upazila. All are farmland labourers.

They were returning home from Niamatpur in Naogaon district with their harvest riding on the sacks of paddy. Seven of them fell under the sacks and died and Ahad Ali died on the way to the hospital, the OC added.

Being informed, firefighters rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. The injured were instantly sent to the Shibganj Upazila Health Complex. The bodies were handed over to their families.