Dehradun, May 6 (IANS) A tragic road accident occurred on Kanwali Road in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on Wednesday, in which a 50-year-old daily wage labourer lost his life after being struck by a speeding, loaded dumper truck. The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident, triggering public outrage in the area.

The deceased has been identified as Sakal Dev Sahni, a resident of Sitamarhi district in Bihar. He had come to Dehradun in search of work and was living in Kaunli village along with other labourers.

On Wednesday morning, Sahni was heading towards Labour Chowk with his companions in search of daily employment when the accident took place. A speeding dumper reportedly ran over him, resulting in his death on the spot.

Following the accident, a large crowd gathered at the scene, and tensions quickly escalated. Angry locals and fellow labourers staged a protest by blocking the road. The agitated crowd created a ruckus and prevented police personnel from removing the body for a considerable period, demanding strict action against the accused driver and better road safety measures.

Police teams reached the spot immediately after receiving information and worked to bring the situation under control. After much effort, authorities managed to disperse the crowd and take the body into custody. The body was sent for post-mortem examination, and a case has been registered. Police have launched a search operation to trace the absconding dumper driver. The incident caused a major stir in the locality and led to traffic disruptions for several hours.

In a separate incident, another tragic road accident was reported early Wednesday morning on the Dehradun-Mussoorie route, where a truck carrying rations and cold drinks plunged into a deep gorge, killing the driver and critically injuring the helper.

According to reports, the accident occurred at around 5:30 a.m., approximately 200 metres ahead of Mussoorie Lake towards Dehradun. The truck, bearing registration number UK 07-CB-1727, was travelling from Dehradun Railway Station to Uttarkashi with a consignment of cold drinks, oil, and other essential supplies.

The vehicle reportedly went out of control and fell into a gorge estimated to be about 100 metres deep. Upon receiving the information, teams from the Mussoorie Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Services, 108 Ambulance service, and the Sub-District Hospital rushed to the scene.

Due to the depth of the gorge and the challenging terrain, a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also called in to assist with the rescue operation. A joint rescue effort was carried out to retrieve the victims from the gorge.

The truck driver, identified as Mubarak, son of Ilyas Ali and a resident of Timli under Sahaspur police station limits in Dehradun, died on the spot. The helper, Sajid, son of Rahmat, sustained critical injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. The driver’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

Mussoorie Station House Officer Devendra Chauhan said that preliminary investigations suggest the driver may have dozed off briefly, leading to the loss of control. Police have initiated a detailed probe into the incident, and the families of the victims have been informed.

–IANS

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