Ghaziabad: At least six members of a
wedding party died while eight others were injured when the
SUV ferrying them fell into a 15ft ditch while being reversed off NH-24 in Vijay Nagar on Friday evening.
Those dead have been identified as Reena (30), Ritu (17), Anshika (5), Madhu (20), Honey Singh (6) and Om Prakash (55). All were from the same family. The accident took place at 9.30pm near Hotel Green along the highway.
Police said Om Prakash’s son Ravi was getting married and the family members were off to Khoda in the crowded SUV.
CO I (City) Manisha Singh said the accident took place while the driver was reversing the vehicle. “The SUV, which had packed in passengers beyond its capacity, slipped off the road and fell into a ditch 15 feet below the road level. A police team took the injured to a nearby hospital. We are gathering more information about the victims’ family,” she added.
Police said the baraat was headed to Khoda in Ghaziabad from Rudrapur in Uttarakhand. The driver had stopped near Hotel Green for some refreshment and had resumed the journey when the accident took place.
Sources said the driver might have parked his vehicle on the edge of the road, because of which the vehicle slipped down.
