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Haryana mishap: Three MBBS students die as car catches fire after collision
The deceased were third-year MBBS students at Rohtak’s Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, who have been identified as Pulkit of Narnaul, Sandesh of Rewari and Rohit of Gurugram
Three persons were killed and as many sustained burn injuries as the Hyundai i20 car they were travelling in caught fire after crashing into a divider on the Jhajjar-Meerut national highway in Sonepat last night, police said on Thursday.
The deceased were third-year MBBS students at Rohtak’s Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), who have been identified as Pulkit of Narnaul, Sandesh of Rewari and Rohit of Gurugram.
Those injured are Ankit, Narbir and Sombir, who are undergoing treatment at PGIMS, where their condition is stated to be critical. They are BDS students of the same institute.
A spokesperson of Sonepat police said the accident took place when the six were on their way to Haridwar from Rohtak.
“The victims’ bodies were handed over to their family members. The injured persons have been referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, where they were undergoing treatment,” the spokesperson added.
In Rohtak, victims’ classmates and teachers held a condolence meeting.
Victim’s father accuses NHAI of negligence; FIR registered
Jai Singh, father of one of the deceased Rohit, said, “My son and his two friends died on the spot due to burn injuries. The accident took place due to the negligence of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director and the company, which was allotted the tender. There were neither any reflectors nor blinker lights near the road diversion near Bahalgarh in Sonepat. The police should take strict action against them.”
Rai station house officer (SHO) Devender said that the mishap took place around 2.30am when the students were heading to Haridwar. “The road was closed for construction near Bahalgarh. Three-ft-high boulders were placed in the middle of the national highway, which the driver couldn’t spot. We have registered an FIR against the NHAI official and the company under sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304-A (death by negligence) of the IPC on the complaint filed by the father of one of the victims,” the SHO added.
An NHAI official, who wished not to be named, meanwhile refuted the allegations made by the complainant.
“We had put up reflectors and a caution board about the diversion was also installed. One side of the road has been closed due to construction work and the other side was closed after recent rains as a precautionary measure considering the high-tension wires. The accident was unfortunate,” the official added.
