Groom, friend headed for wedding reception killed in Samba accident

Speeding truck-trailer dragged SUV before overturning on it, search on for truck driver; accident leads to 5-km jam on Jammu-Pathankot highway

A bridegroom and his friend headed for his reception were killed when a speeding truck-trailer hit their SUV in Samba district on Sunday night.

The mangled remains of the sport utility vehicle that was dragged by a truck-trailer on the Jammu-Pathankot highway on Sunday. The trailer overturned on the SUV, leading to the death of both its occupants. (HT Photo)

Police said the groom, Sushil Kumar, and his friend, Romi Kumar, were on their way from their native Lengaith village near Nanke Chak and were to pick up the bride from a beauty parlour in Samba en route to the reception venue.

A speeding trailer (PB 04N 9375) on its way from Punjab to Jammu hit the Maruti Brezza and dragged it along before overturning. The Brezza was crushed under the trailer, leaving both youngsters dead.

The trailer driver fled from the spot and a search is on to arrest him.

The bodies were retrieved from the mangled SUV after hectic efforts by the police and sent for post-mortem.

The accident led to a 5-km traffic jam on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway that took several hours for the police to clear.

Family members, relatives and friends of the two victims were in a state of shock. Sources said Sushil had got married at Khada Madana village on Friday and his family had arranged the wedding reception in Samba.

A case was registered under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC against the absconding driver.