Merc runs over three on Ferozepur road

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 16

A rashly driven Mercedes car hit a scooter on the Ferozepur road near Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) last night. Two persons riding the scooter died last night while the third one succumbed to injuries today.

The deceased have been identified as Bhagwant Singh, Azim and Madhu Sharma, all residents of Meharban. They worked at Western Mall located on the Ferozepur road. They were returning home when the accident happened. The car occupants escaped unhurt.

Sources said the incident occurred at 12.45 am last night. Eyewitnesses said the scooter got stuck under the car. Passersby shifted the injured to the hospital.

The car driver tried to restart the car after the accident. They fled the spot, leaving the car on the road.

Division No. 2 SHO Brij Mohan said the car occupants had been identified as Parth and Veren Garg, both residents of Thrike. “We are conducting raids to nab them. Once they are nabbed, we will get to know who was driving the car. A case under sections 304A, 279 and 427 of the IPC was registered against an unknown driver.

Asked if the car occupants were drunk, the SHO said he was not sure about it. The car was registered in the name of mother of one of the youths.

Ludhiana notorious for bloody roads

In 2013, 2014, and 2015, around 682 road accidents had taken place in Ludhiana, which killed 710 persons, including 246 pedestrians and 90 cyclists. Even as per the Road Transport Ministry’s report, Ludhiana city has become the “deadliest” place in India. The chances of getting killed in a road accident in the city are highest in the whole country with the chance percentage standing at 67. Amritsar stands second at around 60%. The NCRB report says Ludhiana is ‘number three’ among 53 of India’s biggest cities in terms of the percentage rise in road accidents and consequent fatalities. 

Ferozepur road a death trap

Ferozepur road has become a famous spot for youths belonging to rich families who drive their super luxury cars at high speeds. Many such incidents, involving expensive cars, have happened on the road.  

• February 13, 2013: A speeding BMW rammed into a pole on the road divider near MBD Neopolis around 11:30 pm last night. Four occupants of the car suffered minor injuries. 
• August 14, 2013: Munish Kumar (24), a police constable and resident of Shanti Nagar in Ferozepur, was killed and his three colleagues were injured after they were hit by a car at a checkpoint.
• March 15, 2014: Akshit Kharbanda (26) was killed in a car crash while his friend, who was at the wheel, suffered severe injuries. The accident took place near MBD Neopolis.
• October 26, 2014: Gagan Sharma, a resident of Block D, BRS Nagar, and Rajat Dua of Dugri were killed while the driver Atul Bansal, who runs a shop near Aarti Chowk, suffered minor injuries after a BMW hit a tree near Deepak Hospital at Sarabha Nagar. They were heading towards Ferozepur Road.
• October 15, 2015: A BMW, which was reportedly involved in racing with another vehicle, rammed into a rickshaw, leaving the rickshaw-puller severely injured. The incident took place at midnight when the BMW went out of control. The vehicle jumped the divider and went on to hit the rickshaw. The rickshaw-puller was rushed to a hospital while the owner of the BMW fled the spot.
• December 13, 2015: Two persons were killed when a car hit their motorcycle near Nanaksar Gurdwara.  The deceased were Jagdeep Singh and Jatinder Singh.