Driver burnt alive as speeding truck collides with two tankers in Rajasthan

by IANS |

Jaipur, March 21 (IANS) In a tragic accident, the driver of a truck was burnt alive in a head-on collision with two tankers on Friday in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district.

The accident occurred at around 6.30 a.m. at the Ladpura intersection in the Mandalgarh police station area in the district.

As per reports, the speeding truck collided with two tankers, triggering a massive fire that reduced all three vehicles to ashes.

The truck was carrying ash from Chittorgarh and crashed into a cement tanker (blocker) and an empty diesel tanker.

The impact caused the truck’s gate to jam, trapping the driver inside. He was unable to escape the sudden flare and was tragically burnt alive in the fire.

Though people tried to rush to his help, the sudden burst of flames kept them away. The fire in no time overtook the three vehicles.

Following the accident, heavy traffic congestion was reported on the highway. Police arrived at the scene and managed to clear the jam.

Probationer IPS officer Jatin Jain, in charge of Mandalgarh police station, stated that due to an earlier accident in Chittorgarh, traffic had been diverted towards Ladpura, leading to congestion at the intersection.

Amidst this rush, an out-of-control truck, moving at high speed, collided with the two tankers. Eyewitnesses reported that the truck driver applied sudden brakes, causing its tyres to catch fire. The flames quickly spread to the other vehicles, igniting a fierce blaze.

The truck driver, identified as Shambhulal Dhakad (45) of Phoolji Kheda village, was unable to escape and perished in the fire.

Fire brigade teams and police personnel battled the inferno for over an hour before bringing it under control.

The burnt-out vehicles were later removed, and normal traffic flow was restored.

The deceased driver’s body has been kept at Mandalgarh Hospital’s mortuary, awaiting post-mortem after the arrival of his family.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, while police have urged drivers to maintain safe speeds to prevent such tragedies.

--IANS