Thirteen people were killed and six others critically injured when a train rammed into a vehicle at an unmanned railway crossing in Sambalpur district today.

The mishap took place at Khairpali between Sambalpur City and Maneswar railway stations when the vehicle was hit by Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Inter-City Express while it was trying to cross the track at an unmanned level crossing, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said.

While 12 people died on the spot, another succumbed to injury at hospital, Sambalpur Sub-Collector Rainu Singh said, adding that six injured persons were admitted to the District Headquarter Hospital here.

The vehicle was carrying women agricultural labourers from Analapalli to Sindurpanka. The deceased were 12 women labourers and driver of the vehicle.

The impact of the collision was severe and the vehicle was dragged quite a distance on the track leaving most of the bodies dismembered, eyewitnesses said.

After the track was cleared, the train left for its destination, railway officials said.

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