Major road accident in Ferozepur: 11 waiters dead in Bolero pickup-canter head-on collision
PTC Web Desk: As many as 11 persons (all employed as waitors) were killed and 11 others were injured in a tragic road accident on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road near Mohan Ke Utar village this morning. As per information, a Bolero pickup collided with a canter, resulting in the death of 11. Among the injured, five are reported to be in critical condition.
At the time of the accident, over 25 people were travelling in the pickup. With the help of bystanders, the police rushed the injured to the hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment. According to police officials, dense fog is suspected to be the cause of the accident, though an investigation is underway.
Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Deepshikha Sharma said the injured were being provided treatment by the district administration. She assured that their care would be prioritised.
Inspector Jaswinder Singh Brar, who arrived at the accident scene with the Road Safety Force (SSF) teams, said the accident led to severe traffic congestion on the national highway, which was later cleared.
He said the Bolero pickup was carrying waiters from Ferozepur towards a rural area when the driver lost control, causing a collision with the canter approaching from behind. Eight victims were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, while others succumbed to injuries during treatment.
Local residents who witnessed the accident claimed that all passengers in the Bolero pickup were labourers who worked as waiters at weddings. Around 10 youths from Sufewala village were on board, but their identities remain unclear. Witnesses alleged that the accident was caused due to the negligence of the canter driver.
One of the deceased, Jaswant Singh Sattu, had only started working the previous day. His family said, "It was just his second day at work, and he lost his life in this tragic accident."
Following the crash, residents from nearby villages gathered at the scene and assisted the police in rescue operations. The impact was so severe that the bodies of pickup passengers were scattered across the fields along the highway.
DSP Satnam Singh confirmed that the Bolero pickup was travelling from Guru Har Sahai to Jalalabad, while the canter was heading towards Ferozepur from Jalalabad. The accident occurred near Shaheed Udham Singh College due to a direct head-on collision.
The Bolero was severely damaged, and passengers were thrown far from the crash site. The injured were immediately transported to various hospitals using 108 ambulances, the DSP added.
The police are currently working to identify the deceased and injured.
DC Deepshikha Sharma confirmed the death toll at 11 and stated that five ambulances were dispatched to the site. The injured have been admitted to hospitals in Faridkot and Jalalabad.
She said the bodies had been kept at Jalalabad Hospital for post-mortem. The district administration is covering all medical expenses, she added.
- PTC NEWS