Ludhiana: A tragic accident on the city’s Amritsar national highway near Ladowal on Saturday night claimed the lives of two men and left two others seriously injured. The incident occurred when a grain husk-loaded tractor-trailer overturned, trapping the victims under its heavy load.
The deceased were identified as Himmat Singh, a resident of Tandi Aulakh in Kapurthala, and Sukhvinder Singh from Uccha Pind, Jalandhar. The injured—Binder Kumar of Rawalpindi, Phagwara, and Dhanvir Singh Sonu of Uccha Pind—are reportedly out of danger.
Inspector Harpreet Singh, SHO of Ladowal police station, said the accident occurred around 2:15 a.m. as the group was traveling from Phagwara to Ludhiana. Preliminary investigations revealed that the support holding the tractor’s front tire broke near the Ladowal Toll Plaza. When the driver attempted to steer the vehicle, the tractor-trailer overturned, spilling its heavy load of grain husk onto the passengers.
The driver, Amandeep Singh, escaped unharmed. However, the four passengers seated on the trailer were buried under the load. Emergency responders rushed to the scene and transported the injured to the Civil Hospital, where Himmat Singh and Sukhvinder Singh succumbed to their injuries.
Police initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The bodies were sent for autopsy s and later handed over to their families. Police officials confirmed that the deceased were aged 29 and 35, while the injured are also in the same age range.
Community mourns
News of the fatalities cast a pall of gloom over the victims' families, who are struggling to cope with the sudden loss. Residents of their villages expressed shock and grief, highlighting the need for stricter safety measures for heavy vehicles on highways. The incident underscores the risks associated with overloaded vehicles and the importance of maintaining road safety.