Ludhiana, July 28: A pilgrimage turned into tragedy late Sunday night when a pick-up truck carrying 25 devotees plunged into the Sirhind canal from Jagera Bridge near Dehlon in Ludhiana district, leaving six people dead and five others missing. Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. while the pilgrims, all residents of Manakwal village, were on their way home after offering prayers at the Mata Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was overloaded and overturned while trying to overtake another vehicle on the narrow bridge.
“A pick-up truck full of passengers lost control and fell into the canal,” said SSP Khanna Dr Jyoti Yadav, who reached the spot along with Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, MLA Manvinder Singh Giaspura, and other senior officials. “Six deaths have been confirmed, and rescue efforts are underway for the missing persons.”
Divers were deployed immediately after the accident to retrieve bodies from the fast-moving canal waters. Rescue personnel, including local police and disaster response teams, continued search operations late into the night.
“Most of the passengers were saved and shifted to nearby hospitals in Khanna, Ludhiana, and Ahmedgarh Mandi,” added Yadav. The injured are said to be in stable condition, though some have been referred to specialized medical facilities for further treatment.
Kesar Singh, the sarpanch of Manakwal village, said the entire group had left for the pilgrimage on July 26 in the same vehicle. “It was a single vehicle carrying all 25 of them. They were almost home when this happened. The village is in deep shock,” he said.
Local authorities are now probing whether negligence or violations of vehicle capacity rules contributed to the accident. Meanwhile, the community continues to mourn the loss of lives, with the search still ongoing for the missing.
As the affected families await word on their loved ones, officials have promised all necessary assistance, including medical aid and possible compensation.
