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Speeding SUV snuffs out lives of two friends in Mohali’s Sector 79
Toyota Fortuner crashes into Skoda Superb at traffic intersection, killing its two occupants; accused driver survives with fractures, arrested
Two friends were killed after a speeding SUV ploughed into their sedan near Amity School in Sector 79 on Sunday night.
The deceased, identified as Daljit Singh, 43, and Gurbans Singh, alias Raja Dhillon, 48, hailed from Bathinda and had settled in Mohali for work.
While Daljit owned a jewellery shop in Sohana and resided in Sector 78, Gurbans handled operations of a restaurant and bar owned by Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu in Sector 80, besides running a property business.
According to police, the two friends were headed from Sector 78 to Sector 79 in their Skoda Superb car on Sunday night.
As they were navigating the intersection near Amity School, a Toyota Fortuner, travelling from Airport Road towards Landran, crashed into their car at high speed.
The impact of the collision left both cars severely damaged, and occupants of both cars grievously injured. After the crash, the Fortuner car rammed into the road divider and its driver fled the scene on foot.
Onlookers alerted the police control room, following which the victims were rushed to a nearby private hospital, where they were declared dead.
The bodies were shifted to the civil hospital in Phase 6, where autopsies were conducted.
Accused suffers multiple fractures
The driver of the Toyota Fortuner, identified as Ramandeep Singh of Sante Majra, was arrested by the Sohana police from his house on Monday.
Police said the 26-year-old, who worked in the private sector, also suffered multiple fractures in the collision.
“The Fortuner is registered in Ramandeep’s name. He also suffered multiple injuries in the accident. Prima facie, the accused was driving at high speed and thus failed to slow down at the light point. We are checking the CCTV footage to ascertain the reason behind the accident,” said inspector Jaspreet Singh, station house officer, Sohana.
Victims close associates of former Punjab health minister
Both victims were close associates of former state health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, and his brother and Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, handling their business and political campaigns.
A Congress leader said the victims were returning from the mayor’s house in Sector 78 and going to his restaurant in Sector 80 when the accident occurred.
Sharing his grief on social media, Balbir Singh Sidhu said, “It is with great grief that I inform all the friends and Congress party workers that my two nephews-Raja Dhillon and Daljit Singh have passed away in a very gruesome road accident in Mohali around 9.45 pm. These two young men were my arms as they handled my political, social and business responsibilities. Their death has turned Diwali festivities into sorrow.”
Amarjit reached the local civil hospital along with the families of the deceased. While Daljit was cremated on Monday, Gurbans will be cremated on Tuesday after the arrival of his son from abroad.
Second major mishap at killer intersection
The intersection near Amity School is the same spot where Pamma Sohana, a prominent international Kabaddi player, had died after his Mahindra Scorpio collided with a Honda Amaze taxi on the night of May 29.
Sector 79 RWA president MP Singh said MC’s engineering wing should increase the duration of the traffic signal at the said light point. “The cars coming from Banur or Landran or going in that direction ply at high speeds. The duration of the light point is just 12 seconds, which gives commuters little time to cross the intersection, leading to accidents,” he opined.
Notably, in the first nine months of 2024, Mohali has recorded as many as 397 mishaps, which claimed 186 lives and left 435 victims injured.
