One killed, three injured as speeding truck hits pedestrians in Okhla. Full report here.
Speed thrills but kills, a saying we’ve all heard countless times, yet one that many forget as soon as they sit behind the wheel. Too often, drivers lose control and throw caution to the wind, giving in to reckless speed that ends in heartbreak and tragedy.
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In the latest such incident reported from Sarita Vihar in Okhla on Monday morning, a 36-year-old man lost his life while three others sustained life-threatening injuries after a speeding truck, loaded with gas cylinders, rammed into a group of pedestrians, cyclists, and street vendors before fleeing the scene. The driver was arrested later on. The crash serves as yet another grim reminder of the deadly consequences of rash driving.
A PCR call was received around 10:45 am regarding a road accident near the Okhla Tank Bus Stand, police said as reported by news agency PTI.
Four people were hurt in the incident and all of them were rushed to Apollo Hospital by locals and PCR personnel. One of them, identified as Sabbir (36), was declared brought dead by doctors, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said. Sabbir was a resident of Dakshin Puri, Ambedkar Nagar.
The three injured have been identified as Md Shanur (32), who sustained head and pelvic injuries along with nasal and oral bleeding; Suresh (44), who suffered head and leg injuries and complained of shoulder pain; and Bibti (80), who sustained a head injury. Md Shanur is a a resident of Haji Colony, Gaffar Manzil, in Jamia Nagar and Suresh is from Sanjay Colony, Okhla. Bibti, is also a resident of Sanjay Colony, Okhla Phase-2.
Police rushed to the scene upon receiving information, where eyewitnesses recounted the sequence of events that unfolded around 10:15 am.
A truck, coming from the Ashram side, first hit a parked motorcycle and then rammed into multiple pedestrians before attempting to flee, Tiwari said.
“The traffic staff deployed at the nearby Apollo Hospital red light intercepted the vehicle and apprehended the accused driver,” the officer said. A heavily damaged motorcycle and debris from several fruit carts scattered on the roadside were found by police.
The accused driver has been arrested and the offending truck has also been seized, said the report.
Officials said after a thorough examination of the site, recording of eyewitness accounts, and medical assessment, a case has been registered at Sarita Vihar police station under sections 281 (rash driving), 125(a) (act endangering life or public safety), and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police said further investigation is in progress.
The families of the injured and the deceased were visibly shaken, clutching photographs and medical reports. They demanded justice and support.
“We were standing there with our cart, taking a break when the truck came charging through everyone. First it hit a biker, his bike was crushed completely, then it hit two pedestrians ahead of us, then smashed into our carts,” recalled one vendor to a YouTuber.
Another relative said: “We rushed out of the house when we heard, but everything ended in an instant. We couldn’t even find where our brother was because his phone was switched off. We found him later at the hospital but he was already gone.”
The deceased, identified by family members as a tailor by profession, leaves behind three young children a 13-year-old daughter, a 9-year-old, and a 4-year-old son. His younger brother said tearfully: “I just want justice for my brother. Who will raise his children now?”
Another family member said: “My brother’s bike was wrecked. There was nothing left of it. They called me to identify the body and it was him.”
