Four truck drivers who stopped on the Delhi-Meerut-Expressway (DME) to rescue the driver of an accident-hit pick-up truck were hit by a truck laden with vegetables, killing two of them and leaving three with severe injuries, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place on the intervening night between Monday and Tuesday on the fast lane of DME, they added. All five vehicles involved in the accident were towed to the Sector 58 police station and a case of causing death by negligence is being registered, police said.
The deceased were identified as Devendra, 34, a resident of Shahjahanpur, and Govind, 35, a resident of Azamgarh. The injured — Virendra, 24, a resident of Shahjahanpur, Sahil, in his 20s, a resident of Baghpat, and Hari Om, 35, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi — are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
“On Tuesday around midnight, when pick-up truck driver Hari Om was heading towards Delhi on the DME fast lane, he crashed from behind into a stationary truck near the Sector 62 roundabout and a foot-over-bridge,” said a police officer involved in the investigation.
The officer added, “He sustained multiple injuries and was stuck inside his mangled vehicle. Passing truck drivers spotted the accident and stopped to help him.”
When the four truck drivers, including the two deceased, were retrieving Hari Om from the mangled truck, another vegetable-laden truck rammed into them, police said.
Locals immediately called the emergency helpline number 112 and a police team reached the spot and rushed the injured to a nearby hospital by ambulance where the two succumbed to their injuries while three are battling for their life. Hari Om was rescued by police.
Investigation revealed that the stationary truck was driven by Devendra, who also joined other truck drivers in rescuing Hari Om. “Investigation is underway to identify whether Devendra’s truck was cruising at a slow speed or had stalled on the DME. Hari Om’s condition is stable, while the others who were helping him are critical,” said Amit Tomar, station house officer (SHO), Sector 58 police station.
The SHO added, “The vegetables-laden truck driver was detained, a case will be registered after receiving a complaint. Further investigation is underway.”