Four Separate Accidents on Hazaribag's GT Road Leave Two Dead, Five Injured
In a tragic series of events over the weekend, two individuals lost their lives and five others sustained injuries in four separate accidents reported along a 20-kilometer stretch of National Highway-19, commonly known as GT Road, in Hazaribag district's Chauparan block. The incidents occurred from Saturday night through Sunday morning, according to local police authorities.
Head-On Motorcycle Collision Claims Two Lives
The first and most fatal accident occurred on Saturday night near a diversion at Pipra, where two motorcycles collided head-on. The impact proved fatal for Dixit Kumar from Gaya, who died at the scene. The second victim, Sumit Kumar from Bara in Chauparan, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the Barhi sub-divisional hospital.
Eyewitness accounts suggest both motorcyclists were traveling at high speeds toward Barhi when they lost control near the diversion. Area resident Banshi Kumar highlighted a critical safety concern, alleging that inadequate signage and poor safety arrangements along the one-way stretch, necessitated by ongoing road construction, have led to frequent accidents in the area.
Three Additional Incidents Result in Multiple Injuries
In a separate incident on Saturday, three people, including an elderly woman, were seriously injured in Bigaha when a van transporting schoolchildren struck her. The circumstances surrounding this collision are under investigation.
Early Sunday morning brought another harrowing event when a truck lost control in the Danuwa valley and plunged approximately 30 feet into a gorge. The driver sustained serious injuries but was successfully rescued by emergency responders and transported to a nearby hospital. Preliminary police reports indicate the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
Later on Sunday afternoon, a wheat-laden truck overturned in front of the State Bank of India at Singharawan. Local residents quickly mobilized to extricate the driver from the vehicle, and he was subsequently sent to Barhi hospital for medical attention.
Residents Demand Immediate Safety Improvements
Following these consecutive tragedies, local residents have voiced strong demands for immediate action to enhance road safety on this busy highway stretch. Their calls include the installation of proper signboards, improved traffic management systems, and comprehensive safety measures to prevent further loss of life.
Confirming the two fatalities, Saroj Singh, the Officer-in-Charge of Chauparan police station, stated, "I would look into the concerns raised by villagers." He further confirmed that the bodies of the deceased had been handed over to their relatives after the completion of post-mortem examinations.
The series of accidents has cast a spotlight on the urgent need for infrastructural and regulatory improvements along this critical transportation corridor, where construction activities and insufficient safety protocols appear to be creating hazardous conditions for motorists and pedestrians alike.
