Samana crash: Driver of truck that killed 5 school kids arrested
Police on Thursday arrested the driver of a tipper truck that rammed into a Toyota Innova, killing six occupants of the car — the driver and five schoolchildren — on the Patiala-Samana road.
The driver, Bhupinder Singh, along with the truck's owners, Randhir Singh and Davinder Singh, were booked under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The truck owners are, however, yet to be taken into custody.
Police sources shared that the fitness certificate, pollution certificate and insurance of the truck had expired. Besides, the truck owners had not paid any road tax.
Five schoolchildren and the driver of their car, which ferried them daily to school, were killed when the tipper had collided with the vehicle head-on.
A pall of grief descended on Samana city as the five children were cremated at the local cremation ground. Locals raised slogans against the state government, condemning its failure to regulate speeding by trucks.
Patiala MP Dr Dharmavira Gandhi, who attended the cremation, expressed deep condolences to the grieving families. Calling the loss 'unbearable', he assured to take up the matter with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and demand the widening of the Patiala-Samana Road to prevent such accidents in future.
Govt enforces measures for road safety
Punjab health minister and Patiala Rural MLA Dr Balbir Singh convened an emergency meeting with senior district officials, including deputy commissioner Dr Preeti Yadav and SP Vaibhav Chaudhary, on Thursday.
A two-minute silence was observed in the memory of the deceased.
Dr Singh announced strict directives to curb reckless driving, particularly by tippers and school buses.
'All tippers must adhere to a maximum speed limit of 60 km/h and speed governors must be installed. Their movement during daytime will be completely barred,' he said, adding that school buses must fully comply with the Safe School Vehicle Policy.
He also ordered stringent fitness checks, dope tests and eye exams for all drivers of tippers, trucks and school buses. 'There will be a zero tolerance towards violations, and any government official found negligent will face strict action,' he stated.
The government's swift response, however, has done little to quell public's anger over repeated accidents involving heavy vehicles. Mourning the devastating loss of young lives, Samana observed a complete bandh on Thursday, demanding accountability and lasting road safety reforms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bhoomipuja often carried out for political gain than execution: Gadkari
1 2 3 4 Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that regardless of which party is in power, dozens of project bhoomipujans are carried out, often driven by political optics than execution. "MLA saheb wins the first election with the bhoomipujan announcement, the second after the actual bhoomipujan is done, and the third election based on budget provisions and pending work," Gadkari said, citing the example of the Gosikhurd project. Speaking on the second day of the Vidarbha Water Conference held at Vanamati, the Union minister added, "The Gosikhurd project started at ₹360 crore. Today, over ₹12,500 crore has been spent, out of which over ₹6,000 crore was allocated when I was the water resources minister. Yet, the project remains stagnant. Rehabilitation issues in the region are still unresolved." Citing another example, Gadkari addressed the status of Central Road Fund (CRF) allocations, clarifying that the entire Rs7,000 crore budgeted amount had already been approved for projects. "MLAs fly to Delhi requesting approvals. Against proposals worth Rs7,000 crore, we've sanctioned the full amount. But beyond that, I can't approve more unless new provisions are made," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo He stressed that govt processes inherently take time and are bound by budgetary limits. "People get excited when big projects are announced, photos are clicked during bhoomipujans, coconuts are broken — and then projects remain stuck for 25 years," Gadkari remarked. Referring to the ongoing crisis of farmer suicides in Vidarbha, Gadkari pointed to water scarcity as one of the main causes, especially in districts like Akola, Washim, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Amravati, and Wardha. "In the past few years, many farmers died by suicide. Several studies were conducted, and one of the major reasons found was water scarcity. The second key factor was the cotton price mechanism. We need to increase production, and for that, water conservation is essential. Until irrigation is secured, farmer suicides will not stop," he said. Speaking further on conservation, Gadkari said, "Major and medium-scale projects will continue, but what individuals can do at their level matters most. Water that runs should be slowed, water that slows should be stopped, and the water that stops should seep into the ground — only then will groundwater levels rise." He also emphasised the role of educational institutions in building agricultural self-sufficiency. Citing the late Dr Shrikant Jichkar, Gadkari said universities should focus on seed development, branding, and selling agricultural produce. "The income generated should go toward paying teachers' salaries. If the revenue doesn't come in one season, it will come in the next. Without such accountability, institutions risk becoming colourless, tasteless, and odourless," he warned, urging alignment of academic research with field-level agricultural needs. Gadkari also advocated for the creation of a regional water grid to address unequal water availability across basins. "Some basins receive excess rainfall and flood, while others remain dry. Just like roads and power grids, a water grid is needed to move surplus water from one basin to another," he said. He added that while large projects require land acquisition, environmental clearances, and funding, basin-to-basin transfers could be launched faster through proper planning and community-led initiatives. Gadkari cited upcoming projects in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh that aim to channel sufficient water into the Yamuna, ensuring Delhi won't face shortages at least until 2090. Drawing comparisons, he pointed out that Telangana implemented a Rs80,000 crore water project, along with 49 other previously planned projects in the southern parts, saving a significant amount of water that would have otherwise flowed directly into the sea.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
SUV rams police van on Delhi-Mumbai eway, home guard falls 10ft from flyover
Faridabad: An SUV driven by a teenager trainee pilot crashed into a police interceptor van parked along Delhi-Mumbai expressway, sending a home guard plummeting from a flyover to a road 10ft below near Badauli village on Sunday morning. The accident occurred at 7.45am when a black Mahindra Scorpio, driven by 19-year-old Kritika, struck the stationary police van in which two cops — both named Deepak — were monitoring speeds of other vehicles. The impact sent the police interceptor (HR51GV-8574) crashing into the flyover's boundary wall, causing home guard Deepak to fall onto the road below. While one constable was inside the van, the home guard was standing outside to monitor traffic speeds. Deepak, the home guard, suffered grievous head injuries and is undergoing treatment in the ICU of Sarvodaya hospital. The traffic constable was discharged after treatment. Both cops are around 25 years old. Kritika, who was travelling with three friends from Sector 12, was headed for the district court area to have noodles. "The Scorpio would have been cruising at 150kmph easily. The woman, who was behind the wheel, seemed to have panicked a little after seeing the police van and failed to slam the brakes in time. So, the black SUV crashed into the van at high speed," said Munim Chand, who was passing by. "We usually have cops here monitoring vehicle speeds. Such accidents are rare," Munim added. Tyre marks at the scene indicated a failed attempt at emergency braking. The Scorpio was severely damaged on the left side, but the occupants escaped with minor injuries because of airbags. The crash drew crowds and prompted immediate responses from emergency teams, BPTP police station personnel, and traffic cops. Authorities used a crane to clear both the damaged vehicles and restore normal traffic flow. The driver was taken into custody and released on bail later. "We've registered a case against the driver, who is pursuing pilot training after completing Class 12," said Arvind, the SHO of BPTP police station. An FIR was registered against her at BPTP police station under BNS sections for rash driving, endangering life, causing grievous hurt, and obstructing public servants from performing their duties.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Somanna urges Karnataka govt to reconsider dropped railways projects
Mysuru: Union minister of state for railways V Somanna, on Sunday urged Karnataka govt to reconsider its decision to drop the Chamarajanagar–Hejjala and Mysuru–Kushalnagar railway projects. Following a review meeting with Mysuru division railway officials, Somanna said he wrote to the state urging it to take up both projects and plans to personally follow up with chief minister Siddaramaiah in the next 15 days. "State govt earlier returned both proposals citing an inability to implement them," the Union minister said. "I've since written requesting a reconsideration. I also spoke to Chamarajanagar MP Sunil Bose and Mysuru district minister HC Mahadevappa, but there has been no progress so far. I will increase pressure and ensure that these projects are approved at the earliest. Developmental initiatives should go beyond party lines. " On electrification progress between Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, he said only a 1.2km stretch near Kadakola, close to Mysuru airport, remains incomplete. He said this is due to "technical challenges". "We are working on obtaining an online NOC, and once cleared, that final stretch will be completed soon. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Capital Gains Exemptions for Seniors SmartAsset Learn More Undo Across the country, 99% of electrification is complete, and we aim to reach 100% by the end of the year," he said. Additionally, Somanna announced that Union govt sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the Yadgir Railway coach factory expansion, where currently only 50 employees are working. Somanna emphasised the importance of timely project execution, high-quality construction standards, and enhanced passenger amenities. He expressed satisfaction with the current pace of work and reaffirmed the central govt's commitment to improving regional connectivity. He praised chief minister Siddaramaiah for his cooperation in land acquisition matters, which enabled significant railway infrastructure progress in Karnataka. "Karnataka is seeing the implementation of 13 major projects worth around Rs 39,000 crore, including the Rayadurga–Tumakuru, Tumakuru–Davanagere, Kuduchi–Gadag, and Gadag–Wadi lines," he said. "Under the Viksit Bharat initiative, a greenfield corridor is being planned in Tumakuru, which will connect major factories directly via rail. This move is expected to drastically reduce transportation costs—from Rs 13/km by road to Rs 6–7/km by rail."
