70-year-old woman, grandson killed as truck hits auto in Chandigarh

The truck driver fled the spot after abandoning the vehicle, which has a Rajasthan registration number

A 70-year-old woman and her 14-year-old grandson were killed after a truck rammed into their auto-rickshaw near Dhanas Lake around 3am on Tuesday.

The mangled remains of the auto that the victims were riding while on their way to the Sector-26 grain market in Chandigarh on Tuesday morning. (Keshav Singh/HT)

The deceased were identified as Bhagwati, 70, and Chanchal, 14, both residents of Dhanas.

The boy’s father, Sanju, 34, their family friends Rahul, 16, and Vinod, 70, and the auto driver, Ramu Kumar, 48, all from Dhanas, suffered minor injuries.

Bhagwati, one of the victims (HT Photo)

Bhagwati’s grandson Chanchal, who was also killed in the mishap.

Police said the victims were headed to the Sector 26 grain market to buy vegetables for their stall as per routine. When the auto reached the intersection near Dhanas Lake, a speeding truck coming from Khudda Lahora hit the vehicle, causing it to overturn.

The truck driver fled the spot after abandoning the vehicle, which has a Rajasthan registration number.

The injured were rushed to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, where Bhagwati and Chanchal were declared brought dead.

Police have registered a case under Sections 279 (rash driving), 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 11 police station.

Officials privy to the investigation said the truck driver will be traced soon.