One person was killed and 10 others were wounded in an enormous road accident involving more than half a dozen vehicles near Shahkot on the Moga-Jalandhar road early this morning due to dense fog. The deceased has been recognised as Pargat Singh of Dabwali.
A tipper lorry travelling from Moga towards Jalandhar collided with an automobile while descending the flyover at Shahkot and came to a halt in the middle of the road. Due to poor visibility triggered by the dense fog, a car approaching from behind rammed into the stationary tipper. The car was being driven by Pargat Singh and had four other occupants, reportedly workers. The effect was so serious that the car was damaged, trapping the driver inside. Pargat died on the spot, while the other occupants sustained serious wounds.
At the same time, another Alto car also crashed into the tipper, leaving all five members of a family travelling in it wounded. In another collision, a second Alto car rammed into the automobiles involved in the accident and overturned, leaving its two occupants hurt. Several other vehicles were also damaged in the chain collision.
Ambulances rushed the injured to the Civil Hospital, Shahkot, where they were provided first-aid. Some of the seriously injured were subsequently referred to other hospitals.
Police personnel and the Road Safety Force arrived at the scene and initiated an investigation. The body of the deceased was shifted to the Civil Hospital in Nakodar for the post-mortem examination. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the accident and are also searching for the tipper driver.
