Six people were killed and 14 others injured after a pickup van carrying a group of pilgrims collided with a truck parked along the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway in Haryana’s Palwal district early Tuesday morning.
The fatal accident occurred near Maheshpur village at around 5:30 am, when the van, carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly crashed into the stationary truck. Police said the collision was extremely severe, leaving the passenger vehicle badly damaged and trapping several people inside.
The victims were travelling as part of a pilgrimage group that had recently visited religious destinations in Rajasthan. According to police, around 20 residents from Kishanpur Muraiya, Makoaya, Chanda and nearby villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri district had hired the vehicle for the journey.
Pilgrims were returning towards Mathura
The group had travelled to Rajasthan on Monday, visiting the Khatu Shyam Temple in Sikar and Salasar Balaji Temple in Churu. They were subsequently travelling towards Mathura, with plans to visit Vrindavan, when the accident took place on the KMP Expressway.
The vehicle had reportedly been modified to accommodate the large group, with its rear portion converted into two sleeping decks. Several passengers were asleep when the crash occurred, according to police officials.
The impact was powerful enough to severely wreck the vehicle. A number of passengers became trapped inside the damaged van, forcing rescuers to undertake a difficult extraction operation.
Police officials said it took approximately 20 to 40 minutes to remove some of the deceased from the wreckage.
Six victims identified
Police identified the deceased as Vijay Singh, Raj Kumar, Reshma Devi, Kamla Devi, Sudha and Mahesh.
The 14 injured passengers were taken to the civil hospital in Palwal for medical treatment. Officials said some of the injured were in critical condition and could require transfer to other medical facilities for specialised care.
Emergency teams, police personnel, ambulances and highway patrol teams were mobilised soon after information about the crash reached authorities. Rescue operations focused on removing passengers trapped inside the severely damaged vehicle and shifting the injured to hospital.
Truck driver allegedly fled the scene
Police said the truck involved in the collision had allegedly been parked illegally along the expressway. Following the crash, the truck driver reportedly moved the vehicle away from the scene and fled, leaving the injured passengers behind.
Palwal Sadar police station SHO Inspector Hari Kishan said investigators were examining CCTV footage from the expressway to identify the truck and establish its registration details.
Authorities are attempting to trace the driver and determine the circumstances that led to the truck being left on the roadside. Police said an FIR was in the process of being registered in connection with the incident.
Investigation underway
The accident has raised concerns about the risks posed by stationary heavy vehicles on high-speed expressways, particularly during the early morning hours when visibility and alertness can be reduced.
Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the truck’s parking, the condition of the vehicles and the sequence of events leading to the collision. CCTV footage and other available evidence from the expressway are also being examined as part of the investigation.
The tragedy has left families of the pilgrims mourning while the injured remain under medical care. Authorities are continuing efforts to establish the complete circumstances of the crash and locate the driver of the truck involved.