Raigarh, Jun 23 (PTI) At least 18 cows were killed and nine injured when a cattle-laden truck fell off a bridge in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district on Wednesday, police said.

The truck driver and his helper fled from the spot, following the accident that took place at Lakha bridge on Raigarh-Gharghoda road in the early hours of the day, said Manish Nagar, station house officer of City Kotwali police station.

The truck was on its way to neighbouring Jharkhand, the official said.

According to eyewitnesses, around 40 cattle were on the truck, of which 18 cows were killed, while nine injured animals were rushed to a veterinary centre and subsequently shifted to a cow shelter, he said, adding that the remaining cows escaped into a nearby forest after the accident.

The truck has been seized and a case has been registered against its driver, who fled the spot along with his helper, the official said.

Meanwhile, the truck owner was called to the police station for further investigation, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)