NEW DELHI, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least six people have been killed and five others injured in a major road accident in the western Indian state of Maharashtra Saturday, police said.

"The accident occurred when a car in which the victims were travelling collided head-on with a sugarcane-laden tractor in the state's Sangli district this morning," a police official said.

While six people died on the spot, those injured have been admitted to a local hospital where the condition of three are said to be serious, he said.

"The victims were mostly local wrestlers returning home from a wrestling match in nearby Satara district," the official said.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, he said, adding that a manhunt has been launched to track down the tractor driver who fled the spot leaving the vehicle behind after the accident.

India has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. Road accidents occur mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.