Teenager dies, 30 others hurt as pickup overturns

A 17-year-old boy died while 30 others were injured when a pickup ferrying devotees from Mata Mansa Devi temple overturned near Sector 3 here in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Raj, a resident of Pabhat village in Zirakpur. The vehicle was ferrying more than 35 devotees home after midnight when the driver lost control near Old Panchkula.

Eyewitnesses said the vehicle became unstable as it was overloaded while some survivors said a speeding car that cut across the tempo forced the driver to apply brakes suddenly.

Sector 5 SHO Rupesh Kumar said the statements of the injured were being recorded.

Passersby rushed the injured to hospital before the rescue teams arrived. Six seriously hurt victims, including a 40-year-old man, were referred to the PGIMER, while several others were taken to the GMCH-32. At least 20 victims are undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital in Sector 6 here.