Patna: A tragic road accident in Bihar's Khagaria district on Monday afternoon claimed six lives, including a two-month-old infant, and left six others seriously injured. The incident occurred when a speeding truck rammed into a shared autorickshaw on National Highway 31 near Thatha village under Mansi police station limits.
Details of the Accident
The collision took place around 2 pm. According to eyewitnesses, the truck was moving at an extremely high speed when it hit the autorickshaw head-on. After the initial impact, the truck collided with a parked SUV and then crashed into a van as the driver allegedly attempted to flee the scene.
The force of the impact completely mangled the autorickshaw, throwing passengers onto the road and into nearby bushes. Local residents rushed to rescue the victims before police arrived at the spot.
Victims and Injuries
The deceased have been identified as Swati Kumari (14), two women, a two-month-old infant, a 25-year-old man, and a middle-aged man named Sanjay Paswan. Police said efforts were underway to identify all the victims. Two bodies remained trapped inside the mangled autorickshaw, while others were found scattered on the road and in roadside bushes.
Six injured individuals were admitted to Khagaria Sadar Hospital for treatment. One of the survivors, Rahmatun Khatun, told police that around 11 people were travelling in the shared autorickshaw when the accident occurred. She reported that the front portion of the vehicle was completely destroyed, and several passengers suffered severe injuries, including head and leg wounds.
Police Action and Response
Mansi SHO Deepak Kumar stated that the autorickshaw was travelling from Khagaria towards Maheshkhunt at the time of the accident. The pickup vehicle involved also sustained major damage, but no one travelling in it was injured. The SUV driver sustained minor injuries.
Police have seized the truck and launched a search operation to arrest the driver, who escaped after the accident.
Government Response
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the deaths, describing the incident as "very tragic." He directed the disaster management department to provide an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased and instructed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.
