By IANS,
Chandigarh : At least 10 members of a family, including the daughter of a non-resident Indian (NRI), were killed Monday when their private multi-utility vehicle fell into an irrigation canal in a Punjab town.
Norway-based NRI Neelam and her brother Joginder Singh were the only survivors in the accident as the brand new Chevrolet Tavera vehicle plunged into the 15-foot-deep Bist-Doab canal near village Kot Phatui, 130 km from Chandigarh.
However, Ramandeep, daughter of the NRI woman, was killed in the mishap.
Police officials reaching the spot said that the dead included three children. While seven bodies had been recovered, divers were called in by the district authorities to trace the other bodies.
Joginder Singh, who was driving the vehicle, said that he lost control over the vehicle while driving along the canal on a village link road. He lost his wife, brother and children in the accident.
The family, which hailed from village Atholi near the industrial town of Phagwara, was heading towards Hoshiarpur to meet relatives.
The vehicle was overloaded with 12 people.
Hoshiarpur District Commissioner Megh Raj said that the accident took place as the driver lost control and there was no berm between the canal and the link road.