E-Paper
Drunk canter driver snuffs out life on Airport Road in Mohali
Cement company supervisor riding in canter killed; 5 more, including three labourers in the canter and two scooterists, critically injured
A 33-year-old man was killed and five more were left critically injured after a drunk canter driver ploughed his vehicle into a truck trailer and a scooter at the Sohana gurdwara light point on Airport road in the wee hours of Monday.
The deceased, identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Kharar, was riding in the canter itself, along with three other persons.
The drunk driver, Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, hailing from Tarn Taran, was arrested from the scene.
Police said Lakhwinder, along with Gurpreet, a supervisor in a cement company, besides three labourers, was coming from Ambala.
Driving in an inebriated state, he failed to control the speed of the vehicle that ended up ramming into a truck trailer and two persons on a scooter.
The impact of the collision left the canter occupants and the scooterists grievously injured, and both vehicles severely damaged.
Police said Gurpreet suffered serious head injuries in the mishap. He, along with other victims, were rushed to the civil hospital in Phase 6, where Gurpreet succumbed to his injuries.
While both scooterists, who remain unidentified, were admitted at the civil hospital, the other canter occupants were referred to PGIMER and GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, due to their critical condition. Families of all victims were informed.
The accused driver was booked under Sections 279 (rash driving), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of ₹50) of the Indian Penal Code.
A whopping 320 people were killed in road mishaps in Mohali in 2023, accounting for six deaths each week of the year. The 320 deaths also surpassed the 2022 figure of 296 deaths by 8%, reveals police data.
A significant 31% fatalities were reported from Dera Bassi and Sohana alone, with 51 fatalities each.
Even in 2022, Airport Road and Sohana were among the six Mohali areas that together witnessed a staggering 62% of the total road fatalities.
