Deadly collision on Patiala-Rajpura road claims 3 lives

A suspected case of drunk driving led to the deaths of a couple and their son, while three youngsters were injured, following a head-on collision between two cars at the Daun Kalan turn on the Patiala-Rajpura highway today.

The deceased have been identified as Sidhant Babbar (25), his mother Kusam Lata (53) and father Pawan Kumar (58) — residents of Dabwali. Among the injured are Navneet Kaur (18), Mehak (18) from Bhadson and Sukhchain Singh (21) from Nabha.

According to Investigating Officer ASI Hardeep Singh, five victims were rushed to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, while three others are undergoing treatment. Pawan Kumar and Kusum Lata succumbed to their injuries during treatment, and Sidhant Babbar, who was transferred to a private hospital, also died. The couple, along with their son, was returning to Dabwali after attending a function at their daughter’s house in Panchkula.

Reports suggest that the incident took place this afternoon when a speeding car lost control, jumped over the divider and collided head-on with the victims’ car. The impact left both vehicles completely mangled. Preliminary findings indicate that excessive speeding played a major role in the tragedy. The speedometer of the other vehicle — driven by a girl — was reportedly stuck at 130 km/h, suggesting that it was moving at an alarmingly high speed before losing control. Beer bottles and potato chips were also found inside.

Bahadurgarh police arrived at the scene; with the assistance of passers-by, they extricated the injured from the wreckage.

ASI Hardeep refrained from stating that it was a case of drunken driving and overspeeding. “It is a matter of investigation whether the driver was under the influence of liquor. If so, it would be found in the medical report. The relatives of the deceased have been informed about the incident and further action will be taken after recording their statement,” said Hardeep Singh.