India, June 6 -- Nine people were killed and 12 were injured in a collision between a pickup van and a truck on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road early on Saturday.

Police said the victims, all residents of Railway Colony in Jalalabad, were travelling to Beas to immerse the ashes of a deceased relative when the accident occurred around 5.30am near Janga Wala village, 18km from Ferozepur.

It is learnt that the truck driver is absconding and efforts are on to track him.

The impact of the collision was such that the front portion of the pickup van, packed with 25 passengers including women and children, was completely mangled, trapping several victims inside the wreckage.

Local residents and passersby rushed to rescue the victims before emergen...