Berhampur, April 1: Six daily labourers, including four women, died and 23 others were injured when a tractor with trolley had turned turtle near Patrachudi village at Chikiti block in Ganjam yesterday evening.

While four, including Ranju Sahu (30), Brundabati Patra (30), Buli Gauda (18) and Babu Sahu (45), died on the spot, another two labourers — Harihar Panigrahi (23) and Sundari Sahu (50) — succumbed to their injury at the M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital later, sources said.

All the deceased belonged to Gaudagaon and Tikarpada villages. They were returning home from Chandapur by the tractor. They had been employed for construction work of the Nuapada High School Hostel building and the boundary wall, sources said.

The tractor driver has absconded from the spot after the accident. “The driver was drunk and the tractor trolley loaded with cement bags. The driver lost control over steering when he approached a road of the Bahuda river dam. The vehicle slipped to 20ft deep. Most of the deceased were pressed under the trolley and cement bags,” said an injured labourer who was under treatment.

The tractor, engaged by the contractor who had employed the labourers, was bearing no registration number, said another injured labourer.

Sources said six seriously injured had been admitted to M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital and 17 to Nuapada Primary Health Centre.

Revenue and disaster management minister Surya Narayan Patra, who visited the victims today, assured their family members and the injured persons all help.

In another development, some villagers of Patrachudi have demanded strict action against the tractor operators. “Most of the drivers engaged by the operators are of tender age and their driving is very rash,” they said.