5 labourers killed, four hurt as tractor-trailer falls into canal
Victims were on their way to a construction site when a front wheel of the vehicle they were travelling in got dislodged and it overturned
AMRITSAR: Five migrant labourers were killed and four injured after a tractor-trailer overturned and fell into a canal near Vallah bypass here on Saturday.
Those dead are Shiv Prashad, Ram Prashad, Harbar alias Indlal, Ram Kewal and Arjun Khairwar of Chhattisgarh while the injured are the tractor driver Rinku of Amritsar, Gagandeep Singh of Batala, Sunil and Dalbir of Uttar Pradesh. As per the police, all deceased were in their 20s.
The incident took place at 8:30 am. “The victims were on their way to a construction site when a front wheel of the tractor got dislodged and the driver lost control over the vehicle that overturned and fell onto a canal,” additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP city1) Jagjit Singh Walia said. Apart from Walia, deputy commissioner of police (DCPCITY) Amrik Singh Pawar, assistant commissioner of police (Acpeast) Jaspreet Singh and station house officer (SHO) of Vallah police station Mukhtiar Singh were also present at the spot.
A passer-by called 108 ambulance which rushed the injured to Guru Ram Das hospital at Vallah. As per the police, their condition is stated to be out of danger.
The police suspect that construction material including heavy iron pipes, which were being transported in the trailer when it overturned, may have inflicted serious injuries on the labourers leading to their deaths.
Station house officer (SHO) Mukhtiar Singh said they have sent the dead bodies to the Amritsar civil hospital’s mortuary house for autopsy.
“We have also informed the family members of the deceased in Chhattisgarh,” he added.