New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Two men were killed and six others, including a six-month-old girl, sustained injuries after a speeding dumper truck rammed into an autorickshaw in northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar early Thursday, while a pregnant woman travelling in the three-wheeler suffered a miscarriage following the collision, police said.
The accident took place near Pushta No. 5 around 5.09 am, leaving the autorickshaw mangled. The dumper driver fled the spot after the collision, and police have launched a search to trace him.
Police said they received information about the accident at 5.09 am, while the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received a call at 5.17 am.
A police team and fire personnel rushed to the spot and found that a dumper truck had collided with an autorickshaw. With the help of locals, all eight occupants of the three-wheeler — five men, two women and a six-month-old girl — were rushed to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital.
Doctors declared two persons, identified as Satbir (32) and an unidentified man, dead. Their bodies have been shifted to the mortuary of GTB Hospital for post-mortem, police said.
The six injured have been identified as Satbir’s wife Moni (26), their six-month-old daughter Kanika, Raja (32), his wife Rakhi (26), Rameshwar Dayal (45) and an unidentified person.
Rakhi, who was six months pregnant, suffered serious injuries in the accident and lost her unborn child, family members said. The injured were initially taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, with several of them subsequently referred to GTB Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.
The Delhi Fire Service had earlier reported that two persons and a six-month-old infant girl were declared brought dead at the hospital. However, police later identified the two deceased as Satbir and an unidentified man.
The forensic team inspected the accident site and collected evidence as part of the investigation. Police are examining CCTV footage and questioning locals to establish the circumstances leading to the collision.
Locals claimed that dumper drivers frequently drive on the wrong side of Pushta Road, resulting in accidents in the area.
Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra told PTI that he received information about the accident in the morning and immediately reached the spot.
“It is a very unfortunate and tragic incident. A vehicle collided with an auto-rickshaw carrying eight people. Three people lost their lives in the accident. A pregnant woman was also among those travelling in the vehicle,” he said.
He noted that the tragedy once again raises serious concerns about road safety. “We often see people driving autos with more passengers than the permitted capacity. Overloading, reckless driving and uncontrolled speed can have fatal consequences. Innocent people end up paying the price for such negligence,” he said.
He further noted that the road where the accident occurred is a double-lane road, and residents of Sonia Vihar have repeatedly raised concerns about accidents on this stretch.
“The road needs to be widened. It should be developed into a four-lane road to ensure smoother traffic movement and improve safety. The project design has already been approved, and the responsibility for its execution has been assigned to the PWD. The process is underway, and the road will be developed,” Mishra assured.
The minister urged people to exercise caution until the infrastructure is upgraded. “I appeal to all residents and commuters in Delhi to follow traffic rules and exercise restraint while driving. A little caution can save precious lives,” he said.
Pankaj, a local, alleged that illegal autos and other commercial vehicles were operating openly in the area despite lacking valid documents, fitness certificates, permits and other mandatory requirements.
“Such accidents have happened earlier as well. The traffic police officers are responsible for allowing these vehicles to operate,” Pankaj alleged.
He claimed that at least 50 illegal autos were operating in the area, including vehicles bearing private registration numbers, without proper documents, fitness certificates, licences or uniforms.
“These vehicles are being driven illegally. When someone complains, the police conduct checks for a day or two, but after a few days, the same vehicles return to the roads,” he alleged.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections and are conducting further investigations to trace the absconding dumper driver. PTI BM SSJ SSJ MPL
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