Truck driver and helper arrested in connection with Yamuna Eway accident

A truck driver was arrested by police in Firozabad on Monday evening for his alleged involvement in an accident on the Yamuna Expressway early Sunday morning that left a 75-year-old woman dead and seven others injured, officers said on Tuesday.

The truck driver, Sonu, 30, a resident of Firozabad, was taken into custody, police said. The incident took place at 3.45 am on Sunday near the 8-km Yamuna Expressway, which falls under the jurisdiction of Dankaur police station.

According to a senior police officer, the deceased and her group were traveling from Vrindavan to Dwarka in four cars. “Around 3.45am, an MUV carrying the deceased stopped on the side of the road. The other cars, including a car in which the deceased’s sisters were traveling, also stopped,” the officer said.

It is currently unclear whether the stationary cars had their emergency lights on, police said. They added that during interrogation, the truck driver claimed that a speeding bus passed his truck, causing him to deviate and lose control, following which the vehicle collided with the cars.

The truck then rammed the stationary MUV, causing it to climb onto the highway’s railing before hitting two other cars carrying the group. “The collision was so violent that the roof of one car was shattered,” the officer added.

The victim, Dr Vishakha Tripathi, 75, a resident of Sector 10, Dwarka, New Delhi, and daughter of late religious leader Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, succumbed to injuries at a nearby hospital, police said.

Seven others were injured in the crash, including Vishakha’s sisters, Dr. Krishana Tripathi, 67, and Dr. Shyama Tripathi, 69; driver Sanjay Malik, 57, from Pratapgarh; and acquaintances Hansha Patel, 56, Kashmira Patel, 53, and Januka Khadka, 40, from Mathura. Another injured person, Deepak Patel, 35, from Delhi, is also undergoing treatment. All are in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in New Delhi, police said.

Locals helped rush the injured to a nearby hospital, where Vishakha was declared dead during treatment. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police of Greater Noida Ashok Kumar said the injured were later shifted to a hospital in New Delhi for advanced care.

A case has been registered against the truck driver under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 281 (rash driving), 125 (a) (endangering safety), 106 (1) (causing death by negligence) and 324 (2) (mischief). “Further investigation is underway. A police team has brought the suspects from their native town and their statements will be recorded soon,” Kumar said.