Giridih: Five people lost their lives and two others were seriously injured in two separate road accidents in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum and Giridih districts on Tuesday. An infant aged around eight to nine months survived one of the crashes with minor scratches, police said.
The first accident occurred near Kudapi Down under the Hatgamharia police station area in West Singhbhum district, where a trailer truck collided with a car. Three occupants of the car died on the spot, while two others sustained serious injuries.
The collision left the front portion of the car badly mangled. The infant travelling with the family escaped with minor scratches and has been kept under medical observation.
According to police, the family was travelling from Chhattisgarh towards Tatanagar when the trailer truck, approaching from the opposite direction, struck their car.
Police personnel, assisted by local residents, rescued the injured from the wreckage and rushed them to a nearby hospital. After receiving first aid, the injured were referred to Jamshedpur for further treatment.
The trailer driver fled the scene after the collision. Police have seized both vehicles and are making efforts to identify the deceased and trace the absconding driver.
In a separate accident in Giridih district, two young men were killed when an unidentified goods vehicle hit their motorcycle near Baddiha under the Mufassil police station area.
The victims, identified as Suraj Turi, 22, and Tulsi Das, were returning home on a motorcycle after celebrating a friend’s birthday when the vehicle struck them. Both died on the spot.
The impact was so severe that the motorcycle was thrown nearly 50 metres off the road.
The incident triggered protests by the victims’ family members and local residents, who blocked the Giridih-Ranchi road, demanding that the vehicle be identified and its driver brought to justice.
The blockade was lifted around 3 a.m. on Tuesday after police officials intervened and assured the protesters of appropriate action.
Mufassil police station in-charge Gyan Ranjan said police were investigating the accident and working to identify and trace the unidentified vehicle.
Officials also assured the bereaved families of assistance in obtaining compensation.
The two accidents have renewed concerns over road safety in the state, particularly the risks posed by collisions involving heavy vehicles and hit-and-run incidents. Investigations into both cases are underway.
–IANS