At least nine people were killed and 12 others injured after a pickup van carrying members of a family collided with a truck on the Ferozepur–Fazilka road in Punjab early Saturday morning. The victims were travelling from Jalalabad to Beas to immerse the ashes of a deceased relative when the accident occurred near Janga Wala village, around 18 kilometers from Ferozepur.
According to police, the collision took place at approximately 5:30 am. The pickup van was carrying around 25 passengers, including women and children. The impact was severe, completely crushing the front portion of the vehicle and trapping several occupants inside the wreckage. Local residents and passersby rushed to the scene and assisted rescue efforts before emergency teams arrived.
The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital in Ferozepur, where several victims succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Authorities confirmed that nine people have died so far. Several seriously injured passengers were later referred to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot for advanced medical care.
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Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said that nine critically injured victims were shifted to Faridkot, with three patients currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit. District authorities, along with the Red Cross societies of Ferozepur and Fazilka, are coordinating relief measures and processing eligible compensation claims under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Police have registered a criminal case and launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Officials said the truck driver fled the scene, and efforts are underway to locate him. The tragedy has also renewed concerns over road safety on the Ferozepur–Fazilka highway, with political leaders calling for the widening of the accident-prone stretch to prevent future fatalities.
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