At least eight people were killed and several others injured after a pickup vehicle carrying members of a family collided with a truck near Janga Wala Mor on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road on Friday morning.According to preliminary information, around 25 people, including women and children, were travelling from Jalalabad to Beas to immerse the ashes of a deceased relative in the Beas river when the tragic accident occurred.The impact of the collision was severe, leaving several occupants trapped inside the vehicle. Many victims reportedly died on the spot, while the injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Ferozepur for treatment.Dr Nikhil Gupta, Senior Medical Officer at the Civil Hospital, said that several critically injured victims were referred to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot for advanced treatment.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh, accompanied by other senior police officials, reached the accident site soon after receiving information about the mishap. Rescue operations were launched immediately, and local residents also assisted in shifting the injured to hospitals.The SSP said police have initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. “Our immediate priority was to ensure prompt medical assistance to the injured and facilitate rescue efforts. The circumstances leading to the collision are being examined,” he said.The accident has cast a pall of gloom over the family and the local community, as the victims were travelling to perform the last rites of a relative when tragedy struck.Police officials said the identities of the deceased were being verified and further details would be released after informing their families.The incident once again highlights concerns over road safety on busy stretches of highways in Punjab, where fatal accidents continue to claim lives despite repeated awareness campaigns and enforcement measures.