Jalandhar: Woman killed in hit-and-run accident near temple
Days after a man and his son lost their lives in a hit-and-run accident at Model Town here, another fatal accident has occurred near Devi Talab Mandir late last night.
A speeding vehicle ran over a woman Riya, while she was crossing the road in front of the temple. Her eight-year-old son, who was with her at the time, miraculously escaped.
The incident, captured on CCTV cameras, shows Riya attempting to cross the road to give alms to a beggar after praying outside the temple, which was closed at the time.
Riya, a resident of Neelmahal, had been living in a rented house near Gopal Nagar. She had visited the temple with her children and family members to pray for her husband’s well-being on his birthday. Her husband resides in Poland.
The accident occurred around 00:40 am when an SUV, coming from the Doaba Chowk side, struck Riya and fled the scene. She died instantly due to the impact. The CCTV footage, now circulating widely, shows the horrifying moment when the vehicle hit her while narrowly missing her young son.
SHO Gurmukh Singh of Division Number 8 confirmed that a case has been registered against the unknown driver. “The vehicle's bearing registration number 4559, was traced heading towards Tanda Gate. Raids are being conducted to apprehend the driver,” he said.
Riya’s body was taken to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem. While the driver remains at large, police officials claimed that they were actively investigating and the accused would be arrested soon.
However, the incident has added to growing concerns over reckless driving in the city, particularly in crowded places, where traffic violations are common. Residents have expressed their anger, calling for stricter enforcement of road safety measures and harsher penalties for offenders.