Patna, July 9 (IANS) Two people were killed and another seriously injured in a devastating road accident in Bihar’s Gaya district on Thursday, when a car caught fire after colliding with a fertiliser-laden truck near Sijua Mor on the Dobhi-Patna four-lane highway.

The accident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Bodh Gaya Police Station, prompting an immediate rescue operation by local police.

According to police, the accident took place at around 1:30 a.m. near Sijua Mor.

The impact of the collision was so severe that the car caught fire almost instantly and was engulfed in flames within minutes.

Two occupants trapped inside the vehicle were unable to escape and died on the spot after being burned alive.

The identities of the two deceased have not yet been established.

Police recovered the bodies from the burnt vehicle and sent them to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH), Gaya, for post-mortem examinations.

Officials said identification will be completed after family members come forward.

A third occupant of the car, Rishabh Kumar, sustained critical injuries in the accident.

He was initially taken to a nearby hospital before being referred to Patna for advanced treatment due to the severity of his condition.

Rishabh Kumar is a resident of Madhaul village in Vaishali district and the son of Shyam Nandan Singh.

According to his family, he was returning from Ranchi at the time of the accident.

According to preliminary findings, the fertiliser-laden truck was allegedly entering the main highway from an approach road while travelling in the wrong direction.

The speeding car collided with the truck’s diesel tank, triggering a massive fire.

The car was completely destroyed, while a significant portion of the truck was also damaged.

Police said the exact sequence of events will be confirmed after a detailed investigation.

Following the collision, the truck driver and his helper fled the scene before police arrived.

Personnel from Bodh Gaya Police Station reached the accident site, carried out rescue and recovery operations, removed the damaged vehicles, and restored traffic on the highway.

Bodh Gaya Station House Officer Arvind Kumar Singh said both bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations, and efforts are underway to establish their identities.

He added that investigators could not obtain a detailed statement from the injured survivor because of his critical condition.

Police are now searching for the absconding truck driver and helper while investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal crash.

–IANS

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