Five killed in mini-truck crash on Yamuna eway

According to police,the truck had left Mainpuri near Agra and was transporting vegetables to Azadpur Mandi in Delhi. Apart from the driver and a helper,seven other men from Farrukhabad were sitting on top of the vegetable sacks in the Eicher open-top truck.

Around 3 am,near Mirpur village,70 km from Agra and ahead of the Mathura toll plaza,the left front tyre of the mini-truck burst,causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle,police said.

“The impact caused the travellers to fall off the truck. The sacks fell on them and they were crushed to death. Two others suffered serious injuries to their legs and back. Nathu,who was driving the van and Bhiku,who was assisting him,were unhurt and fled the spot,” a police officer said. A search is on for the two,police said.

“We were taking arbi to the mandi. There was a loud noise and the truck suddenly swerved out of control and we were thrown off. Doctors said I have suffered internal injuries,” Shakeel,one of the injured,said.

Ashish Chand,the owner of the truck,said he found his vehicle at the Mathura toll plaza late Wednesday evening. He said Nathu had travelled on the expressway for the first time on Wednesday. He said he did not know that Nathu had also picked up seven men on his way to Delhi.

A spokesperson for Jaypee said the vehicle was over-speeding. “The truck was overloaded and was being driven above the speed limit when the tyre burst. A night patrol vehicle spotted the vehicle and called the police and an ambulance. One of the injured men was able to the tell the patrolling officers what had happened,” he said.