2 trucks collide on Phagwara-Jalandhar highway, leaving 1 dead, 1 hurt; traffic halted for over over an hour

A road accident involving two heavy trucks disrupted vehicular traffic on the Phagwara-Jalandhar National Highway for over an hour early Wednesday morning. One person was killed and another seriously injured in the collision, which occurred near the Chiherru bridge, approximately 10 km from Phagwara.

According to police sources, the incident took place when a Jalandhar-bound fruit-laden truck reportedly jumped over the central highway divider and collided head-on with a stone-laden truck coming from the opposite direction. The force of the impact was severe, leaving one of the trucks extensively damaged and debris scattered across both sides of the highway.

The deceased has been identified as Gurjant Singh, a resident of Gagowal village in the Amritsar district. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The injured, Kuldeep Singh, was found unconscious and in a critical condition. He was immediately shifted to the local civil hospital for emergency treatment.

Eyewitnesses said that the driver of the fruit truck appeared to have dozed off while driving, resulting in the vehicle veering across the divider and crashing into oncoming traffic. “The truck suddenly swerved, crossed the median, and collided with the other vehicle,” said one local resident who witnessed the aftermath.

Vehicular traffic on the busy national highway came to a standstill following the crash, leading to long queues of stranded vehicles on both sides. Police and emergency services were quick to respond. Traffic Police Inspector Aman Kumar Daveshwar reached the spot promptly and supervised the rescue operations. Under his direction, the damaged trucks were removed and traffic flow was gradually restored after over an hour of disruption.

Inspector Daveshwar said a case has been registered, and further investigations are under way to determine the exact cause of the accident. The police are also examining whether driver fatigue or negligence played a role.

Jalandhar