By IANS
Toronto : An Indo-Canadian wedding in British Columbia turned into a tragedy when six guests were killed and 17 hospitalised after a pickup truck rammed into the wedding procession.
The accident occurred Friday night in Abbotsford. According to Sergeant Amar Kingra of the Abbotsford police, around 30 people mostly belonging to the Indo-Canadian farming community were walking from one house to another singing traditional Indian wedding songs.
A car was meant to follow the procession with its hazard lights flashing, but before it could get out of the driveway, a Chevrolet pickup truck ploughed through the procession. Many guests were sent flying into a nearby two-metre high ditch while others were pinned under the truck.
Three men and three women, between their mid-teens and late 50s, were killed. Another 17 people, mostly women and children, were rushed to nearby hospitals, including two infants aged five and seven months, the online edition of Globe and Mail reported.
On Saturday morning, Sikh community members gathered at the home of the bride’s father, Avtar Mahil, to offer their condolences. Tents meant for the wedding party were turned into makeshift shelter for mourners.
“They’re in shock. It wasn’t good when you go in there… The emotion was out of control,” said Abbotsford City Councillor Moe Gill, who visited the Mahil family Saturday.
“The marriage is going to go on, because there are so many people from all over who have come,” said Hakam Singh Gill, a family friend who arrived to share his condolences.
“It’s unbelievable. None of us could sleep for more than five minutes last night,” Gill added.
The driver of the truck was identified as a 71-year-old Indo-Canadian.