Punjab: Tragedy averted as drunk driver abandons truck on rail track

Eyewitnesses said the inebriated driver drove the truck for at least 1km on the rail tracks before it got stuck. The driver fled the spot before the Golden Temple Express arrived

A tragedy was averted when a drunk driver drove his truck onto the rail tracks near Giaspura in Ludhiana on Friday night minutes before the Golden Temple Express was to cross the stretch.

A video grab of the truck being removed from the rail track near Giaspura in Ludhiana on Friday night. (HT Photo)

Eyewitnesses said that the inebriated driver drove the truck for at least a kilometer on the rail tracks before it got stuck. The driver fled the spot, leaving the vehicle on the track.

Local residents alerted the driver of the Golden Temple Express, who showed presence of mind and slowed down the train, which brushed past the vehicle and averted a collision.

Superintendent of police, Government Railway Police, Balram Rana and inspector Jatinder Singh arrived at the scene to assess the situation. It took the team of authorities nearly two hours to remove the truck from the tracks.