Road Accident Deaths: At a time when the entire nation is indulging in Navratri festivities, a series of deadly road accidents across the country has turned the celebrations into mourning for many. Over 40 people have lost their lives in road accidents across Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours.
In Madhya Pradesh, a truck rammed into devotees gathered outside a temple in Gwalior, killing 15 people. In Punjab, eight workers were killed after a car ran over them while they were resting by the roadside. In Uttar Pradesh, four people were killed after a truck mowed them down while they were shooting Instagram reels on a highway. Several other deadly crashes have also been reported in different parts of the country.
Four Killed In Varanasi While Shooting Reels:
Four people were killed and four others injured after a truck rammed into a Scorpio at an overbridge (underpass) on the highway near Roopapur on Monday morning. According to Jagran.com, the occupants had parked their car on the overbridge to make Instagram reels when the accident occurred. Two youths reportedly fell from the bridge onto the road below. The truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene.
The eight youths, residents of Shivpur, had travelled to Mirzapur to offer prayers at the Maa Vindhyavasini temple. They were returning from the pilgrimage when they stopped their Scorpio on the overbridge near Roopapur at around 6 am to record a reel. A speeding truck approaching from the Prayagraj side crashed into the Scorpio from behind.
Speeding Car Mows Down 8 Labourers In Punjab
At least eight workers enrolled in the Centre's VB-G RAM G scheme were killed in Punjab's Sangrur after a speeding car ran over them on the Lehragaga-Jakhal road. A group of 20 workers -- mostly women -- were working, while some of them were sitting along the road and drinking water when a speeding car coming from the direction of Jakhal mowed them down. At least 12 others also sustained injuries and were receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
Locals present at the site alleged delay in the arrival of ambulances despite repeated calls. A local, who works in a nearby factory and reached the site soon after the tragedy, alleged that ambulances arrived nearly an hour after the accident. He said at least five bodies were lying motionless along the road, while the accused driver was still present at the scene, and only fled after he saw police arriving.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has expressed grief over the incident and announced Rs 2 Lakh ex-gratia. "The news of the horrific road accident that took place in Alisher village of Sangrur is extremely sad. The loss of eight precious lives, including those of MNREGA workers, in the accident is a huge loss. The government will provide compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased," Mann said in a post on X.
Deadly Gwalior Accident Kills 15
In a heart-wrenching incident, at least 15 people -- all devotees -- were killed, while more than 25 others sustained injuries after a speeding truck ploughed into them outside a temple in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior. The paddy-laden truck, bearing a Punjab registration number, entered a no-entry zone on Chinar Road at around 1:30 am and hit devotees waiting for darshan and roadside shops before crashing into the entrance gate of the Sheetla Mata temple.
ALSO READ: Gwalior Temple Tragedy: Did Google Maps Shortcut Lead Truck To Sheetla Mata Shrine, Killing 15?
The collision was so intense that it brought down a wall of the temple, trapping people under the debris. According to the police, the truck broke through police barricades while hurtling down a slope towards the temple. Two police personnel were also injured while trying to stop it.
The police said that a search for a shortcut on Google Maps may have led the truck driver, identified as Bilbagh Singh, into the restricted zone near the temple. An investigator said the truck's brakes might have failed, forcing Singh to swerve left to control the vehicle. Had it continued straight, it would have ploughed into at least 600 to 700 devotees, he said.
Five Killed In Bengal's Durgapur
Five people were killed and five others critically injured in two separate road accidents in West Burdwan district's Durgapur on Sunday. The two accidents took place on National Highway 19 in Durgapur. In the first incident, a bike hit the back of a truck at high speed, while in the second incident, a four-wheeler rammed into a bus from the rear.
According to the police, in the first case, a bike, being ridden by two young men and a woman, was heading towards Piala from the direction of Bhiringi intersection in Durgapur, when the speeding two-wheeler lost control and hit the back of a truck in front of it. Locals alleged that the bike was coming so fast that its front wheel fused with the back of the truck.
In the other incident, a four-wheeler hit the back of a bus while entering the Andal crossing service road on National Highway 19 from Durgapur to Asansol. According to the police, there were seven people in the car, including the driver. Two died on the spot, and the remaining five were rescued and taken to Bidhannagar Hospital in critical condition.
Five Killed In Tamil Nadu
Three members of a family, including a child, were killed and an equal number of them were critically injured when their speeding car allegedly rammed into a stationary mini-truck near Vikravandi. The accident occurred near V Salai on the Villupuram-Chennai National Highway. The family was returning home from Thoothukudi when their car crashed into the rear of the truck.
The deceased were identified as John Britto (37), his mother Thangabai (65), and a child, Yuvana Angelin. All three died on the spot. The injured, identified as Anto Rajkumar, Natta Trishti, and Jessy Yuvana, were rescued by the Vikravandi police and admitted to the intensive care unit at the Mundiyambakkam Government Medical College Hospital.
In another road accident in Tamil Nadu, a panchayat secretary and his wife were killed when a speeding car rammed into them on the Natham-Sendurai road. The deceased have been identified as Senthilvel, the panchayat secretary of Kottaiyur, and his wife Mathivathani.
The incident occurred when the family, returning home after attending a wedding on October 17, was standing on the roadside and the car crashed into them. Their 16-year-old daughter, Harini, who sustained severe injuries in the collision, has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.
Three Killed In UP's Saharanpur
Three men were killed and two others seriously injured after their car rammed into a road divider near Belda roundabout in the early hours of Sunday. The five occupants, all Agra residents, were travelling to Mussoorie for a holiday.
The accident occurred when the car was allegedly travelling at high speed, and the driver apparently dozed off, losing control of the vehicle. The impact was severe, leaving the car badly damaged, with its windscreen and other glass shattered and scattered across the road.
Police personnel and passersby rescued the five occupants from the wreckage and rushed them to a primary health centre, where doctors declared three of them dead. The deceased were identified as Saksham Upadhyay, Sahil Tiwari and Rahul Singh.