The victims have been identified as Laxmi Ram (42), who was a contractual labourer, and his wife Kusumlata (38). They were returning home from Rajasthan when the accident took place.
Days after a couple bled to death after remaining trapped for nearly eight hours inside their mangled WagonR following an accident on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the contractor agency and superintending engineer of the highway have been issued show-cause notices. The Wagon R iwas rammed by two vehicles around midnight on Tuesday, police said.
The victims have been identified as Laxmi Ram (42), who was a contractual labourer, and his wife Kusumlata (38). They were returning home from Hindaun in Karauli district of Rajasthan when the accident took place between 11.30 pm and midnight on Tuesday near Nowshera village. Their grey Maruti WagonR, registered in Delhi, was crushed against the metal crash barrier on the expressway.
PK Kaushik, Project Director, National Highways Authority of India said the responses to the notice are to be handed in by Sunday.
“We will take strict action based on the responses, whoever is responsible will not be spared.”
He added that meetings have been held with the police and district administration regarding the patrolling duties on the stretch, which will now have to be increased. “We will also supervise more strictly now. What I am told so far is that the particular spot where the accident happened is next to the cornermost lane of the expressway and is not lit properly. The contractor is responsible for all patrolling, including deploying necessary vehicles like cranes for assistance during accidents.”
Nuh Sadar Police Station House Officer Inspector Praveen Kumar said meetings regarding patrolling are held every two weeks. “We remain extra alert during the winters. It is not like that particular stretch is accident prone or anything.” He added that the agency’s patrol vehicle did a round near the accident spot around 11pm, but did not notice the car at that stretch.
Two vehicles were suspected, a multi axle truck and a Maruti Ertiga, to have collided with the Wagon R. The heavier vehicle collided first just before midnight with the Ertiga pushing the vehicle further into the dark post midnight, officers said, citing the CCTV footage.
PK Kaushik said the particular stretch is a flat road and not otherwise prone to accidents.
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Police reached the spot only around 7.30 am on Wednesday after a patrol team was informed of the wreck by a passerby. By then, husband and wife had died from injuries and blood loss while still trapped inside. The position of the bodies indicated the husband had managed to hold on to his wife.
The couple lived in Mangiram Park in Delhi’s Budh Vihar with their four young children (two sons and two daughters).
The Nuh Sadar police station registered an FIR for rash driving and death by negligence.
Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana.
Education
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020)
- B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019)
Professional Experience
Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features.
Reporting Interests
His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon.
Recent Coverage (2025)
- Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025).
- Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025).
- Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025).
- Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram.
- Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025).
- Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025).
Contact
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