: A late-night rescue attempt on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway (DME) turned fatal after a vegetable-laden truck rammed into a group of truck drivers who had stopped to help another injured truck driver, killing two and injuring two others, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred near the Sector 62 roundabout in Noida when the men were rescuing the injured driver of a pick-up truck that had earlier crashed into a stationary vehicle.
The deceased have been identified by their single names as Devendra, 34, a resident of Shahjahanpur, and Govind, 35, a resident of Azamgarh.
Virendra, 24, a resident of Shahjahanpur, and Sahil, a resident of Baghpat who is in his 20s, are undergoing treatment at a hospital. Theyare both in critical condition, said an officer who is part of the investigation.
Hari Om, 35, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi, who was the one being rescued, was discharged after receiving preliminary treatment early Tuesday morning, police said.
According to preliminary investigation, the incident occurred at around 12 am on Tuesday, when Hari Om, who was heading towards Delhi on the DME fast lane, crashed into a stationary truck from behind a few metres away from the Sector 62 roundabout, close to a foot-over-bridge, said a second police officer involved in the investigation. That vehicle was being driven by Devendra and he had been accompanied by Virendra.
Hari Om sustained multiple injuries and was trapped inside the mangled the vehicle. Two truck drivers, noticing the accident, parked ahead of the two vehicles in the accident and got off to help Hari Om. They were joined by Virendra and Devendra.
As the four men worked to extract him, a vegetable-laden truck rammed into them.
All fourwere rushed to the hospital, but whiletwo later succumbed to their injuries, twoare in critical condition. Hari Om was later rescued by police.
Police has detained the driver of the vegetable truck from the spot, said Amit Tomar, Sector 58 station house officer (SHO), adding a case of death by negligence will be registered after receiving a complaint. The five vehicles involved in the crash have also been towed to the Sector 58 police station.
Further investigation is also underway into the initial accident “to ascertain whether Devendra’s truck was cruising at a slow speed or had stalled on the DME,” said Tomar.
Hari Om’s statement has yet to be recorded. “After learning about his release from the hospital, we have called the pick-up truck’s owner (Hari Om) to record his statement,” said the first officer quoted above.