Friends fixing burst tyre hit by truck on e-way, one dies

NOIDA: A 28-year-old man was killed while his friend was seriously injured, after a trailer-truck hit the car they were driving from behind on Noida-Greater Noida expressway on Monday. The unidentified driver of the truck is absconding.

Vikram Singh (28), his younger brother Tejendra (19) and their friend Pankaj Kumar (28) were travelling to Gurgaon from Etah, their hometown, in the early hours of Monday. Both Vikram and Tejendra work are drivers in a private company in Gurgaon, while Pankaj works as a machine operator in Bahadurgarh.

The three were returning to Gurgaon after Diwali celebrations in Vikram's blue Maruti Ritz, when one of the tyres of the car developed a puncture near Knowledge Park on the Greater Noida-Noida carriageway of the expressway.

"Vikram and Pankaj got off car to replace the tyre, while Tejendra, who was driving the vehicle, remained inside to take a nap. A trailer-truck suddenly came from behind and ran over the duo," Vikram's friend Prabhas Chauhan, who was with the family in hospital, told TOI.

The trailer-truck had run over the legs of the duo. Vikram died on the spot, while Pankaj suffered serious injuries on his head and a leg fracture. The two were taken to Felix Hospital in Sector 137. While Vikram was declared brought dead, Pankaj was later discharged and taken back to Etah by his family.

Vikram is survived by his wife and a daughter. Vikram's family said they have lodged a complaint against the unknown driver, but police are yet to lodge an FIR in the case. "We have received no complaint in the matter so far. It's possible they are busy in the post-mortem procedure and other formalities," said Hansraj Bhadauriya, SHO of Knowledge Park police station.

Meanwhile, the driver of the trailer-truck has not been identified yet, as he fled the spot before anyone could note down the registration number of the vehicle, police said.