Six Dead, Five Missing as Overloaded Pilgrims’ Vehicle Plunges into Sirhind Canal Near Dehlon.
Ludhiana:
In a tragic incident late Sunday night, six persons — including children — lost their lives and five others went missing after a Mahindra pick-up vehicle carrying around 25 pilgrims plunged into the Sirhind canal from Jagera Bridge on the Malerkotla road near Dehlon. The group was returning from a pilgrimage to Shri Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh when the accident occurred.
According to eyewitness accounts and initial police investigations, the overloaded pickup truck lost control while overtaking another vehicle and veered off the bridge, falling into the fast-flowing waters of the canal.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khanna, Dr. Jyoti Yadav, confirmed the incident and said that the accident occurred around 9:45 PM. Upon receiving the distress call, teams from the police and civil administration rushed to the site. Divers were immediately engaged to search for the missing persons and recover the bodies from the canal.
District Commissioner Himanshu Jain, MLA Manvinder Singh Giaspura, and other senior officials from the police and civil administration also arrived at the accident site to supervise rescue and relief operations.
Vehicle Was Overloaded: Eyewitnesses
One of the devotees who survived the accident said that the Mahindra pickup was heavily overloaded with pilgrims, most of whom belonged to Manakwal village. While overtaking another vehicle on the narrow bridge, the driver lost control, leading to the fatal plunge.
Rescue and Relief Efforts Underway
SSP Dr. Jyoti Yadav stated, “The police were alerted at around 9:45 PM about the accident. We immediately mobilized rescue teams, and the injured were shifted to different hospitals in the region. So far, six fatalities have been confirmed. Several others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment.”
The injured were referred to various hospitals including those in Ahmedgarh Mandi, Ludhiana, and Khanna, depending on the severity of their conditions.
Entire Village in Shock
Kesar Singh, the Sarpanch of Manakwal village — the hometown of all the pilgrims — also reached the accident site. He shared that the group had left for the pilgrimage on July 26 and met with the tragedy on their way back home.
“The entire village is in deep shock. Many families are affected. We are coordinating with the administration to help with the rescue and provide support to the victims’ families,” said the Sarpanch.
Search Continues for Missing Persons
Despite the challenging conditions in the canal, rescue divers continued their search for the five missing individuals through the night and into Monday morning. The swift current and low visibility in the canal have made recovery efforts difficult.
Authorities have assured that every effort is being made to locate the missing and assist the injured and bereaved families.
Further details are awaited as the rescue operation continues and authorities work to identify the deceased and account for all passengers.
