LUDHIANA, Dec 28 — One person was killed and five others injured after dense fog caused a chain collision involving several vehicles on a highway near Ajnaud village in Punjab’s Ludhiana district on Sunday morning, police said.
The pile-up occurred near Doraha when a truck transporting LPG cylinders braked suddenly after a car slowed down ahead of it, leading to a series of rear-end collisions amid poor visibility.
“Due to fog, the drivers could not judge the distance between vehicles,” said a police official involved in the rescue operation. “Once the first truck stopped abruptly, other vehicles crashed into one another.”
Police said the situation escalated when a truck carrying cement bags slammed into vehicles ahead, while those behind failed to stop in time.
The lone fatality was reported when a car driver stepped out of his vehicle following the crash. According to police sources, he was struck by another vehicle while attempting to remove a gas cylinder trapped beneath his car.
“He was standing near his vehicle when another vehicle hit him,” the official said, adding that the identities of the deceased and injured were still being confirmed.
Rescue operations were carried out by police personnel led by Sukhdev Singh with assistance from the Sadak Suraksha Force. Officials said a major tragedy was averted as none of the LPG cylinders caught fire.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a Hyundai Verna collided with a private bus near Bharthala village on the Chandigarh–Samrala road. Police said the occupants of the car fled before officers arrived.
“The vehicle was impounded after a large quantity of liquor bottles was found inside,” a Samrala police official said.
Earlier during the night, a car carrying three people caught fire near Agwar Lopon village near Jagraon. All occupants escaped safely after noticing flames, and firefighters later extinguished the blaze.
