Two persons were killed, while at least 20 sustained injuries in a chain of road accidents involving two trucks, two buses and a car that occurred in Kathunangal due to the dense fog that engulfed the region on Wednesday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Sunny Vohra (50), a resident of Pathankot, and Angrez Singh (45), driver of one of the two buses involved in the accident. The accidents took place at around 7:40 am at Kathunangal. A truck, which was commuting along the Amritsar-Pathankot main highway, was being closely followed by a Punjab Roadways bus.
The truck applied the brakes all of a sudden on account of the thick fog engulfing the area, triggering a series of collisions in which the Punjab Roadways bus that was following it rammed into its rear, while a car that was following the bus rammed into the back of the bus. However, no death was reported in this accident, though the people aboard the bus, the truck and the car sustained injuries.
Seeing such a grievous accident in front of him, the driver of a 12-tyred truck, which was coming from behind suddenly applied the brakes, making a rashly driven private bus at its back ram into it. Cops investigating the matter said that as the private bus had been speeding, the impact of the collision was so immense that the bus pushed the truck ahead by a few feet before coming to rest.
The high intensity of the collision made Angrez Singh, the driver of the bus, lose both his legs in the accident, while also causing the death of a passenger identified as Sunny Vohra, who was sitting behind the driver. Angrez Singh was rushed to Guru Nanak Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries.
At least a score of other people, who had sustained injuries in the accident, were rushed to the hospital, through 108 and NHAI ambulances that were pressed into action soon after. Sources said a few others, who had sustained minor injuries, were administered first aid by the locals, who had assembled at the spot.
The Amritsar Rural police have registered a case in this regard at Kathunangal police station. Stating that the police had started investigating the matter after registering a case under Sections 304-A, 279, 337, 338, 427 of the IPC, inspector Daljit Singh, SHO, Kathunangal police station, attributed the blame for the second collision, involving the private bus to the driver of the bus.
“Despite the prevailing fog, the driver of the private transport was driving his vehicle very rashly. When the truck in front suddenly applied brakes, the bus rammed into it, causing the driver to lose both his legs,” he said. He added that a case has been registered in this regard and further investigations were being held into the matter.