PATIALA, May 7 — Five school students were killed and one critically injured on Wednesday afternoon when a sand-laden tipper truck collided head-on with a private vehicle near Nassupur village along the Samana road, officials said.
The accident occurred as the students were returning to Samana from their school in Patiala. The force of the collision hurled the smaller vehicle into a roadside tree, crushing its front section entirely.
“Such was the impact that it took a crane to pull out the bodies,” said a police officer at the scene, adding that the private vehicle was barely recognizable after the crash.
Preliminary reports suggest that the students had just finished classes for the day and were en route home when the heavily loaded tipper veered into their lane.
The injured student was rushed to Government Rajindra Hospital, where doctors described their condition as “extremely critical.”
Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh is expected to visit the hospital later in the day to monitor the medical response.
“Every effort is being made to save the injured child and support the grieving families,” a spokesperson from the Health Department said.
Officials have launched an inquiry into the cause of the collision. Eyewitnesses alleged that the tipper may have been speeding at the time. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby locations to establish the sequence of events.
Local residents gathered in large numbers following the accident, many of them visibly shaken.
Authorities have assured that the matter will be investigated thoroughly and accountability fixed.
