NEW DELHI, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Five agricultural laborers were killed and 30 others injured Tuesday after a vehicle carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a water channel in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, officials said.

The accident took place at Maniyaachi in Thoothukudi district, about 604 km south of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.

"A mini-cargo vehicle carrying women fell into a roadside water channel, killing five and injuring 30 others," an official said. "The victims identified as agriculture laborers were going to work in the vehicle."

Following the accident, authorities rushed rescue teams to the spot and with the help of locals, the injured were removed to the nearest hospitals.

Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the accident.

Preliminary investigations carried out by the police said the driver lost control of the vehicle and plunged into the water channel.

In a separate accident in Madhya Pradesh on the same day, at least 32 passengers were killed and several others missing after a bus skidded off the road and fell into a canal.

According to federal road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, every day 415 people die in the country due to road accidents.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving. Enditem

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