6 dead, 5 missing after pick-up carrying pilgrims from Naina Devi falls into Sirhind canal near Ludhiana

Six persons, including children, were killed and five others went missing after a Mahindra pick-up truck carrying about 25 pilgrims from Shri Naina Devi fell into Sirhind canal from Jagera Bridge on the Malerkotla road near Dehlon late Sunday night.

SSP Khanna Jyoti Yadav, DC Himanshu Jain, MLA Manvinder Singh Giaspura, and other officials from the police and administration rushed to the spot after receiving the information.

Divers were engaged to fish out the bodies from the canal. As per the information, all the people were returning to their village, Manakwal, after visiting Shri Naina Devi in Himachal Pradesh.

According to a devotee, the pickup vehicle was overloaded. While overtaking a vehicle, the driver lost control over it and the vehicle plunged into the canal, he said.

SSP Dr Jyoti Yadav said that at around 9:45 pm, information was received that a pickup full of passengers had overturned and fallen into the Jageda canal. After this, the police and administration team reached the spot. The injured were taken to different hospitals.

The SSP said six people died in the accident while some suffered injuries and were undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

Sarpanch Kesar Singh of Manakwal village, who also reached the spot, said that on July 26, a total of 25 people from the village went to visit Shri Naina Devi in a pick-up vehicle and met with an accident while returning home. Some injured were referred to Ahmedgarh Mandi, while others rushed to Ludhiana and Khanna hospitals.

Ludhiana