Saturday, March 29, 2025
Ludhiana, July 28, 2025 – In a devastating road tragedy late last night, an overloaded Mahindra pickup truck carrying 24 to 26 pilgrims returning from Mata Naina Devi temple plunged into the Jaghera Canal near Malerkotla Road in Ludhiana. The vehicle lost balance while overtaking another and fell off a bridge into the canal, resulting in the deaths of four people including two children. Several others are still reported missing as search and rescue operations continue.
The incident occurred as the pilgrims, all residents of Mankwal village and nearby areas, were en route home after paying religious visits. Witnesses report that the pickup, overcrowded with devotees, lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle and crashed into the canal around midnight.
Locals heard the cries for help and quickly raised the alarm. Rescue operations were launched by 2 AM, involving professional divers and villagers. The bodies of four victims have been recovered so far: Jarnail Singh (52), Manjeet Kaur (58), Sukhman Kaur (1.5 years), and Akashdeep Singh (8), all from Mankwal village.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, SSP Dr. Jyoti Yadav, and MLA Manvinder Singh Gyaspura rushed to Dehlon Civil Hospital shortly after midnight to assess the situation. The DC confirmed that the accident was due to overloading and imbalance of the vehicle.
“Preliminary reports confirm 24 people were traveling in the pickup. So far, four deaths have occurred, and two individuals are still missing. About 22 people were pulled out of the water,” Jain said.
Dehlon Civil Hospital SMO Dr. Rajesh Garg reported that 13 patients were brought in, four of whom—two children, one woman, and one man—were declared dead on arrival. Four are under treatment, while four others were discharged after receiving first aid. One critically injured person was referred to Ludhiana Civil Hospital for specialized care.
SSP Dr. Jyoti Yadav stated that the police received information at around 9:45 AM. “There were 24 passengers and one driver onboard. According to hospital records, four have died and two remain untraced. Rescue divers are still searching the Jaghera Canal,” she said.
The administration has put all nearby hospitals on alert and deployed additional rescue teams. Local eyewitnesses and officials confirm the vehicle was also driving on the wrong side of the road, adding to the cause of the accident.
This tragic incident once again brings into focus the dangers of overloading and reckless driving, especially during pilgrim travel. Authorities have assured that all efforts are being made to locate the missing and support the victims’ families.
