NEW DELHI, April 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people were killed and 15 others injured Tuesday after a goods truck carrying laborers hit a road divider in western Indian state of Maharashtra, police said.

The accident took place on Pune-Satara highway near Khandala in Pune district about 81 km east of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.

"This morning a goods truck carrying over 40 laborers met an accident near Khandala," a police official posted in Pune told Xinhua over telephone. "Eighteen people were killed and 15 others injured in the accident."

According to officials the laborers were going for daily work.

"The injured have been admitted in Satara civil hospital and among them the condition of seven was stated to be critical," the police official said.

Reports said no sooner the accident took place locals informed the police and carried out rescue work.

Police have registered a case and ordered investigations.

Preliminary reports suggest the driver lost control over his vehicle and hit the divider.

On Monday, 30 people including 27 school children were killed when a school bus ferrying them back home plunged into a deep gorge in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

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

An official report says on an average 400 deaths take place every day in India due to road accidents.