4 killed, 3 injured as Haryana Roadways bus collides with pickup vehicle in Kaithal

In a tragic accident on the Hisar-Chandigarh national highway near Keorak, four persons lost their lives and three sustained injuries as a bus of the Haryana Roadways collided with a pickup vehicle carrying devotees from Punjab to Pehowa.

As per the police, the victims were residents of Rameaana village in Faridkot district of Punjab.

The deceased have been identified as Narender Singh (67), Hakikat Singh (62), Kaku Singh (57), and Makhan Singh (60). Their bodies were shifted to the District Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination, while injured Sukhmander Singh, Tara Singh, Kulwant Singh, were rushed to a private hospital in the city for treatment. Later, they were referred to the PGI, Chandigarh.

After the accident, teams from the Sadar police station and Keorak police post reached the spot for investigation.

Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was so severe that the pickup vehicle overturned into roadside ditch. Panic and chaos followed, with cries for help drawing local villagers to the scene, who assisted in rescue efforts until ambulances arrived.

All victims were on their way to participate in a religious programme at Pehowa gurdwara. The group had reached Kaithal on Sunday evening and stayed overnight at a gurdwara. Early Monday at around 5 am, they set out for Pehowa in the pickup vehicle.

The tragedy struck when the pickup reached Keorak village on the highway, where the roadways bus, allegedly driven at high speed and carelessly, rammed into it from the rear side. “The police have registered a case against the bus driver and started investigation,” said the police.