Eight people returning from a wedding function were killed when their SUV crashed into a truck parked along a busy road in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
Three other occupants of the speeding SUV sustained serious injuries in the accident that occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district, some 280 kms from state capital Lucknow, police said.
"The SUV rammed into the stationary truck at high speed as its driver failed to spot the heavy vehicle while overtaking a car in the Sidharthnagar area of the district," a police officer told the local media.
While seven people died on the spot in the impact, another person succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. "The three other injured are being treated at Gorakhpur district hospital," the officer said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to condole the deaths in the fatal crash and announced compensation for the families of the victims.
"The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in an accident in Siddharthnagar, UP. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000 each," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.
"A probe has been ordered into the accident," the police officer said.
Road accidents are very common in India, with one taking place every four minutes. These accidents are often blamed on poor roads, rash driving and scant regard for traffic laws.
Indian government's implementation of stricter traffic laws in recent years has failed to rein in accidents, which claim over 100,000 lives every year.