A tragic road accident on a busy highway in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district claimed the life of a government driver on Sunday evening. The fatal incident involved a truck carrying wooden scrap, which toppled onto a smaller vehicle, crushing it completely.
Chaos at Pahadi Gate Crossing
The collision occurred at approximately 4:45 PM near the Pahadi Gate crossing, known as one of the most congested intersections on the Nainital Highway in the Ganj Kotwali area. Initial police reports indicate that both vehicles were traveling in the same direction, towards Bilaspur Gate.
A Bolero, a vehicle attached to the state electricity department, was moving ahead of the truck. As they approached the crossing, the driver of the Bolero signaled to make a turn. The truck driver, proceeding straight, reportedly noticed the Bolero suddenly and swerved violently to avoid a direct hit.
Rescue Operation and Traffic Snarl
In a desperate maneuver, the truck smashed into the road divider, broke through it, and overturned directly onto the Bolero. The truck's load of wooden scrap spilled across the roadway, burying the smaller vehicle beneath it. The impact was so severe that the Bolero was flattened, causing immediate panic among bystanders.
Uncertain about how many people were trapped inside, passers-by quickly alerted the authorities. The response was swift and large-scale:
- Traffic police and teams from three local police stations rushed to the spot.
- The fire brigade and at least six ambulances were deployed.
- Superintendent of Police Vidyasagar Mishra and City Circle Officer Jitendra Kumar arrived to supervise the difficult rescue operation.
- A crane was brought in to lift the overturned truck and clear the heavy debris of wooden scrap.
The massive recovery effort led to significant disruption, with the vital highway remaining choked for nearly an hour as officials worked to clear the wreckage and restore normal traffic flow.
Victim Identified, Driver Absconds
Rescue workers managed to pull the trapped driver from the mangled remains of the Bolero. He was rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
SP Vidyasagar Mishra confirmed the victim's identity as Firasat, a 40-year-old resident of Gujjar Tola in Rampur. His family has been informed of the tragic loss. The police officer also revealed a critical detail: the truck driver fled the scene immediately after the accident.
"Efforts are on to trace him," stated SP Mishra, adding, "We are also investigating whether the truck was overloaded, which could have contributed to the accident."
Vehicle Was on Weekly Maintenance Duty
Investigations into the circumstances revealed that the Bolero was attached on contract with the Uttar Pradesh electricity department and was allotted to the Khod power substation. Sub-Divisional Officer Nagendra Kumar provided context, stating he had taken charge of the substation only two days prior to the accident.
Since Sunday was a weekly holiday, the officer was not using the official vehicle. "On holidays, the driver usually gets the vehicle serviced. That is why the Bolero was with him," explained Kumar, shedding light on why the driver was on the road in the government vehicle on a day off.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns about road safety on heavily used highways, the dangers of overloaded commercial vehicles, and the tragic consequences of hit-and-run cases.
