7 of family killed as dumper overturns in Saharanpur

Seven members of the same family, including a 4-year-old child, were killed after a speeding dumper truck overturned on their car near Syed Majra village on the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway.

According to police, the dumper was loaded with gravel and was traveling at high speed when the driver lost control. The vehicle toppled onto the car moving alongside it, burying the car completely under the overturned dumper and the gravel.

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Rescue operations were extremely challenging. The 5-foot-high car was crushed to nearly 2 feet under the weight. Three cranes were used to lift the dumper, and several hours were required to remove the gravel. By the time rescuers managed to cut open the car’s roof and pull out the passengers, all seven occupants had succumbed to their injuries.

The family was on their way from Syed Majra village to Gangoh to attend a funeral when the accident occurred barely one kilometer from their home.

The victims included Rani Devi; her son Sandeep (24), a pharmacist; daughter Julie (27); a 4-year-old grandchild; son-in-law Shekhar Kumar (28); relative Vipin (20) from Mohaddipur; and Rajesh “Raju” Saini (27).

Sandeep was reportedly still breathing when rescued but died shortly after being taken to the hospital. The identity of one deceased youth is yet to be confirmed.

Eyewitnesses stated that a vehicle had suddenly come in front of the dumper. Although the driver applies brakes, the truck’s high speed made it impossible to control, causing it to overturn on the car. The dumper driver fled the scene immediately after the crash.

Superintendent of Police (City) Vyom Bindal confirmed that all seven bodies were recovered from the vehicle and sent for post-mortem. The incident took place under the jurisdiction of the Gagalhedi police station.

Police have launched a search for the absconding dumper driver as the community mourns a tragic loss of life.

Meanwhile , a report from Kanpur said a massive fire broke out on a moving sleeper bus on the Kanpur National Highway on Friday morning, trapping passengers inside and causing chaos on the busy route.

The blaze spread rapidly, reaching the bus’s main door and preventing most passengers from escaping. While a few managed to jump out, many remained trapped as flames engulfed the vehicle.

The incident occurred around 10:45 am near the Ramadevi Flyover.

The bus, belonging to Palak Travels, was en route from Delhi to Varanasi with about 40 passengers on board. The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but several passengers claimed it started in the luggage stored on top of the bus.

According to witnesses, as soon as the fire broke out, the driver and conductor reportedly jumped off and fled, leaving the trapped passengers to fend for themselves. Panic spread inside the burning bus as passengers screamed for help.

Police personnel stationed nearby rushed to the spot. Despite the raging flames, two policemen—Pushpendra and Sahil Khan—climbed into the burning bus, risking their lives to rescue the trapped passengers one by one. Their quick action prevented what could have been a far greater tragedy.

The fire also caused a severe traffic jam stretching nearly 10 kilometers on the highway.

Passengers later recounted their harrowing experiences and losses.Manjeet Jha, traveling from Delhi to Prayagraj, said his luggage, including Rs 20,000 in cash was burned.

Hitesh from Varanasi said he had been complaining since the previous night about excessive luggage on the bus. He claimed goods worth lakhs were destroyed.Surendra from Gorakhpur reported losing all his belongings.Pushpa Devi, traveling to Mirzapur for a wedding, said her bag containing a laptop, valuables worth Rs 40,000, and religious items was completely destroyed.

The bus had started its journey from Delhi carrying 40 passengers toward Varanasi. At around 10:35 a.m., shortly after crossing Kanpur’s Naubasta area, flames suddenly erupted. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the fire quickly engulfed the bus’s door, making escape difficult.

A joint team of PRV and traffic police responded promptly. With passengers crying for help from inside the burning vehicle, the courageous actions of constables Pushpendra and Sahil Khan proved crucial, as they managed to pull several people out to safety.

Authorities are investigating the incident, including claims that improperly stored overhead luggage may have sparked the fire.