Three of family killed, one seriously injured in Phagwara road mishap
Three members of a family, including a one-and-a-half-year-old child, lost their lives in a road accident near Rawalpindi village on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road in the wee hours of Saturday. One person sustained critical injuries and was undergoing treatment.
The incident occurred around dawn when a major collision took place involving a tractor-trailer, an e-rickshaw and two cars. According to eyewitnesses, the e-rickshaw got stuck between the heavy vehicles, resulting in the deaths of all its occupants, except one.
The deceased have been identified as Pappu Yadav, his wife Sunita Rani and their son Ayansh. All three were residents of Gole Market, Jalandhar. Sanjeev Kumar, who also belongs to the same locality, survived with serious injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Phagwara. Due to his serious condition, he was later referred to the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar.
The accident sparked widespread resentment among local residents and commuters. Villagers from Rawalpindi and surrounding areas alleged that despite multiple calls on the police helpline, officials arrived at the accident site hours later. Locals claim that immediate police intervention could have lessened the response time for medical aid and road clearance.
By the time the emergency services arrived, the victims had already been taken to the hospital by some bystanders. Later, the doctors declared the three family members brought dead at the Civil Hospital, Phagwara.
Shockingly, even after eight hours of the accident, the hospital authorities reported that the police had not arrived with the requisite documentation needed to proceed with the post-mortem examinations. As a result, the bodies remained in the mortuary, awaiting official clearance.
All vehicles involved in the accident were badly damaged. Preliminary information suggests that poor visibility and possible overspeeding may have contributed to the chain collision, though an official investigation is yet to confirm the cause.
The tragic loss has made residents seek improvements in road safety infrastructure and quicker emergency responses. “We have repeatedly demanded better patrolling and quicker response on this highway stretch, but our concerns have been ignored,” said a villager, who witnessed the accident. Despite repeated attempts, no cop picked up the phone.
The bodies of the deceased have been kept in the hospital mortuary and the post-mortem examination will be conducted once the required police formalities are completed. An FIR is expected to be registered following initial investigations.
