Mandi Ahmedgarh: 5 killed as SUV falls into canal

Mandi Ahmedgarh, April 26

Five persons, including an NRI, were killed when the SUV they were travelling in plunged into the Bathinda branch of the Sirhind canal near Jagera Bridge in Payal Assembly segment, near here, on Monday night.

Six persons were travelling in a Toyota Fortuner at the time of the accident.

The deceased have been identified as Jatinder Singh Happy (49), an NRI from Nagal village; his brother-in-law Kuldeep Singh (46) of Lehal village; Jagdeep Singh (25) of Chhapar village (currently residing at Rurka); Jagga Singh of Gopalpur village and Jagtar Singh Raja (52) of Nangal village.

The lone survivor, Sandeep Singh Sunny, a tattoo artist, has been admitted to a hospital at Dehlon.

Investigations suggested Jatinder, settled in Canada, had arrived a fortnight ago to meet his friends and relatives in Punjab. He along with other friends had gone to Ber Kalan village on Monday evening to mourn a death.

They subsequently visited Kuldeep’s Lehal village and were returning home around midnight when the accident occurred. Jatinder, who was behind the wheel, lost control of the vehicle and it rammed into the concrete railing on Jagera Payal road from the Jhammat link road, before plunging into the canal.

Authorities at Sihar Chowki claimed a rescue operation was started soon after receiving information from the control room. The rescue operation continued till early on Tuesday to retrieve the vehicle and bodies.

“Though we had reached the spot and called a crane, an ambulance and divers immediately after receiving a call from the control room, all five persons trapped in the vehicle were found dead,” said the chowki incharge, adding the lone survivor was shifted to a hospital. The bodies of the victims were handed over to their families after completing inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.