A devastating incident unfolded on Tuesday morning as a Class 8 student of Manav Mangal Smart World School lost her life in a tragic accident. Ananya, aged 12 and a resident of Preet Colony, met with a fatal accident while commuting with her mother, Pushpa, to school on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway near Singhpura Chowk.
According to eyewitnesses, Ananya was riding pillion on her mother’s scooter when tragedy struck. The mother reportedly lost control on the gravel-strewn highway, leading to a passing truck running over her daughter.
Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded as road users continued to pass by while the injured mother desperately tried to reach out to her daughter’s lifeless body.
Criticism arose as the PCR vehicle arrived at the scene almost half an hour later, leaving bystanders dismayed. A charitable ambulance had to be called to transport Ananya’s body to the Dera Bassi sub-divisional hospital.
The truck driver, identified as Kali Bhushan, aged 23 and hailing from Jammu, reportedly fled the scene initially but was apprehended by a passerby after a pursuit.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is currently engaged in road maintenance activities, including the carpeting of the road.
However, irregular patches on the highway have raised safety concerns.
In his statement to the police, the truck driver explained that he was en route to Ambala from Baddi to deliver iron bars.
The tragic incident has left the community in shock and highlights the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures to prevent such accidents in the future.