As horrific accident that killed 6 young men and women shakes Uttarakhand, police wait for sole survivor to regain consciousness

Inside the mangled remains of the vehicle were the bodies of Guneet (19), Rishabh Jain (24), Navya Goyal (23), Atul Agarwal (24), and Kamakshi (20), all residents of Dehradun, and Kunal Kukreja (23) from Himachal Pradesh. The bodies were transported to the mortuaries at Coronation, Doon, and Indresh Hospitals.

The seventh passenger, Siddhesh Agarwal (25), sustained serious injuries and is being treated at Synergy Hospital, with officials saying he is critical. Police hope to speak to him once he regains consciousness to understand why the vehicle was speeding.

According to PTI, the car belonged to Atul’s father, a Saharanpur-based firecracker businessman, who recently bought the vehicle on Dhanteras. Atul, had travelled to Dehradun along with six friends, and was allegedly driving the vehicle at the time, PTI reported.

According to police, the SUV reportedly attempted to pass a container truck near Kishan Nagar Chowk, but the driver misjudged the truck’s speed, believing he could pass safely after it had moved ahead.

According to police, the SUV reportedly attempted to pass a container truck near Kishan Nagar Chowk, but the driver misjudged the truck’s speed, believing he could pass safely after it had moved ahead.

Initial inquiries also revealed that the container truck was traveling from Kishan Nagar Chowk, while the SUV was heading toward Dehradun from Ballupur Chowk. The police have also received CCTV footage of the ill-fated Innova moving around the city earlier, albeit at a normal speed.

Initial inquiries also revealed that the container truck was traveling from Kishan Nagar Chowk, while the SUV was heading toward Dehradun from Ballupur Chowk.

According to the police, prima facie investigation suggests the container reached ONGC Chowk after covering a distance of 1.5 km from Kishannagar Chowk in about six minutes, suggesting it was travelling at a normal speed.

With gruesome visuals of the accident circulating online, police have been trying to highlight the perils of overspeeding and impaired driving. At a Yuva Mahotsav event held at Dehradun’s Parade Ground following the accident, top officials told the gathered youth to adhere to traffic rules, avoid speeding, and never drive under the influence.

Additional Director General of Police Amit Sinha stressed the importance of acting quickly to help accident victims, explaining that immediate assistance can often make the difference between life and death.

Emphasising the ripple effects of such tragedies, Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh reminded them that the loss of even one young life is an immense loss not only to a family but to the entire community and country.

Additional Director General of Police Amit Sinha stressed the importance of acting quickly to help accident victims, explaining that immediate assistance can often make the difference between life and death. He cited the heroic actions of Deepak Pandey, a passerby, who along with the police transported Siddhesh Agarwal to the hospital. For his efforts, Pandey was honored with a memento under the Good Samaritan Scheme, which encourages bystanders to assist accident victims without fear of legal consequences.