Three people were killed after a car collided with a dumper truck on the old Yamuna Bridge in Paonta Sahib, in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, late Saturday night.
The accident took place at around 11pm, when the car, travelling towards Paonta Sahib, reportedly rammed into the rear of a dumper moving ahead of it. The impact was severe enough to badly crush the front section of the car and trap two of its occupants inside.
The deceased have been identified as Tarsem Negi, 32, a resident of Sirmaur, Amit, 37, from Uttar Pradesh, and Sonu Siwach, 23, from Greater Noida, according to police and local reports.
A passer-by alerted the authorities after noticing the badly damaged vehicle on the bridge. Police and an ambulance were sent to the scene. Sonu Siwach was taken to Paonta Sahib Civil Hospital by ambulance, while Tarsem Negi and Amit had to be rescued from the wreckage with the help of local residents and police personnel.
All three were subsequently declared dead by doctors at the hospital. Police took the bodies into custody for post-mortem examinations.
Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchint Singh Negi confirmed the incident and said a case had been registered at Paonta Sahib police station. The case has been registered under Sections 281, 125(a) and 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the investigation is under way.
The preliminary investigation indicates that the car struck the dumper from behind. Police are also examining whether speed or other road and vehicle-related factors contributed to the crash. The exact circumstances leading to the collision will be established through the investigation.
The accident has once again highlighted the risks faced by motorists on the busy Paonta Sahib-Yamuna Bridge stretch, although there is currently no official finding attributing the crash to any specific road defect or negligence.
