Five from Punjab killed as truck overturns in Una

: Five people from Punjab, including four pilgrims, were killed and 60 were injured when a truck (RJ14-GC-0452) carrying pilgrims overturned after colliding with a motorcycle at Nehrian in Amb sub-division of Una district on Tuesday.

The accident took place at about 9am on the Nadaun-Una highway, nearly 40km from the district headquarters Una.

The killed are the motorcycle rider Sonu, of Ajjowal in Hoshiarpur, and Gursevak Singh, Karm Singh, Sonia and Sukhvant Kaur from Tarn Taran district in Punjab. Sonu, an artisan engaged in chair-making, belonged to the Sikligar community, is survived by two children. At his village, his father Prem Singh said his son had gone to pay obeisance at the Dera Baba Wadbhag Singh shrine.

The truck was carrying pilgrims who were returning after paying obeisance at Baba Bharbhag Singh Gurdwara, an important Sikh pilgrimage site at Mairi village of Una.

Una superintendent of police Sanjeev Gandhi said the truck driver, in an attempt to avoid collision with the motorcycle coming from the opposite side, hit a parapet and turned turtle crushing the motorcyclist to death.

The motorcyclist’s body could be retrieved only with the help of a crane.

The injured were rushed to the nearby hospital at Amb where four people succumb to their injuries. The critically injured have been referred to the regional hospital in Una.

Police have registered a case under Sections 279 (rash driving), 337 causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others and 304-A (causing death due to negligence) against the truck driver Waj Singh.

Investigation is on and bodies have been handed over to family members after conducting postmortem.

MISHAP OCCURRED WHEN TRUCK CARRYING PILGRIMS TRIES TO SAVE A MOTORCYCLIST; THE DEAD INCLUDE 4 FROM TARN TARAN