Three Kanwariyas were killed, and another injured after a speeding car ran over a group of pilgrims on the Sirhind GT Road in Fatehgarh Sahib in the early hours of Sunday, police said.
Police have arrested the car driver, identified as Tarlochan Singh of Ludhiana district.
The accident took place around 2.15 am near Dada Motors, when a group of six Kanwariyas from Kotkapura were returning home after collecting holy water from Gangotri in Uttarakhand. The pilgrims were walking along the highway when the car allegedly hit them from behind.
The deceased were identified as Mahinder Pal alias Gagan, 43, Deepak Kumar, 42, and Jagdish Mittal alias Kalu, 40. All three were residents of Kotkpaura town in Faridkot district. They were rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
The fourth pilgrim, identified as Mukesh Kumar, suffered serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a nearby private hospital, the police said.
Fatehgarh Sahib senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shubham Aggarwal said the accused, Tarlochan Singh, is a resident of Pakhowal village in Ludhiana district, and he was traced as his vehicle’s number plate fell after the crash.
“Soon after receiving information about the accident, Fatehgarh Sahib deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and Sirhind station house officer (SHO) swung into action and identified the accused. He has been arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Soon after receiving information about the accident, Fatehgarh Sahib deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and Sirhind station house officer (SHO) swung into action and identified the accused. He has been arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Police said the car driver fled the spot immediately after the accident. The car’s registration plate fell off as it sped away after the incident, but it was later recovered and helped police trace the vehicle and its driver, police added.
Incident triggers protest
The incident triggered a protest by fellow Kanwariyas and other residents at the site, who demanded the driver’s immediate arrest. Traffic movement on the highway was affected briefly before the police cleared the road.
Assistant sub-inspector Tilak Raj of Sirhind police station, who is investigating the case, said that the probe was under way and police are examining the circumstances leading to the accident.
The accident comes during the annual Kanwar Yatra, when thousands of devotees travel on foot and in groups across northern India after collecting holy water from pilgrimage sites. The pilgrimage is scheduled to culminate around Shivratri on August 11 this year.