Punjab: Driver Stuck Between Truck Tyres After Collision, Dragged For 500 Metres In Hoshiarpur, Dies

Following the incident, the infuriated relatives and locals blocked the road for nearly six hours, demanding the arrest of the truck driver.

New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a tractor driver was killed allegedly after his vehicle collided with a speeding truck that dragged him along for about 500 metres after it got stuck between the tyres of the tractor, news agency PTI reported citing police officials. The incident took place on Saturday morning near Shahpur village, Hoshiarpur Superintendent of Police Major Singh said.

Singh said that angry relatives and locals blocked a road for nearly six hours, demanding the arrest of the truck driver, according to a PTI. 

The victim, 21-year-old Sukhdev Singh, was driving a sand-laden tractor-trolley when the truck loaded with a stone crusher collided from behind, police said. Singh, who is from Bhanglan Khera village in the Rupnagar district of Punjab, somehow got trapped between the tyres of his tractor and the speeding truck dragged the tractor for approximately 500 metres.

“The incident was so tragic that Sukhdev’s body parts were scattered in different directions. Subsequently, the truck driver fled the scene with his vehicle," PTI quoted a police official.

Several eye-witnesses told the Hindustan Times that they tried to chase the truck but the driver had managed to flee. 

The enraged residents of the area staged a protest, led by Sukhdev’s father Jaswinder Singh, who placed the victim’s body at Adda Shahpur, which disrupted traffic for six hours. The protestors demanded the arrest of the accused.

Later, they lifted their dharna after SP Manoj Singh pacified them. The SP said that the accused driver would be arrested soon. 

According to the Hindustan Times report, Garhshankar station house officer Harprem Singh said that police had impounded the truck and registered a case under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC against the accused.

A similar incident occurred earlier this week when a farmer was killed after a tractor-trolley ran over him during a protest in Sangrur. 

"A tractor-trolley ran over an elderly farmer, Pritam Singh injuring his legs...He was immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment. Later he was referred to Patiala, and he died on the way to Patiala Hospital. This is very unfortunate," Sangrur SSP, Surendra Lamba was quoted by ANI.

The farmers were protesting at Longowal, demanding financial aid for flood-affected farmers.