MUZAFFARNAGAR, Oct 3:— A journey to perform last rites turned into tragedy early Wednesday when six people, including five members of a Karnal family, were killed after their car crashed into a stationary truck near Titawi village in Uttar Pradesh.
The victims were traveling to Haridwar to immerse the ashes of 51-year-old Mahinder Juneja, who had died on September 21 following a heart attack after a prolonged illness.
The deceased were identified as Juneja’s wife Mohini (45), elder son Piyush (22), brother-in-law Rajinder (60), sisters Vimmi (50) and Anju (46), and the car’s driver Shiva (23). Juneja’s younger son Hardik (17) survived the crash but is undergoing treatment at a Panipat hospital.
Relatives said two cars had left Faridpur village for Haridwar. The accident involved the vehicle carrying Mahinder’s ashes, while family members in the second car rushed to the spot after the collision. “Going to immerse ashes turned into a cruel twist of fate that wiped out an entire family,” said Rajinder, the elder brother of the deceased, as mourners gathered in shock.
The accident took place around 6 a.m. when the speeding car slammed into a truck parked along the roadside. Eyewitnesses said locals rushed to help, pulling the victims from the mangled vehicle. Five people died on the spot, while one woman succumbed to her injuries at a hospital.
A CCTV clip from the highway showed the car striking the truck without braking. Police suspect driver Shiva may have dozed off at the wheel, as he had returned from a pilgrimage to Himachal Pradesh only the night before.
The tragedy has cast a pall of grief over Faridpur village, where neighbors and relatives recalled the family’s recent hardships. “They had suffered enough with Mahinder’s illness, and now this,” said a villager, his voice breaking.
