Anger mounts over accident that killed 7 children
A day after a tipper truck carrying sand rammed into a private vehicle transporting schoolchildren near Nassupur on the Samana road, claiming six lives—including five students—serious questions have been raised over administrative inaction and police apathy towards repeated violations by commercial vehicles ferrying construction materials.
The tragedy, which unfolded on Wednesday, has plunged Samana town into mourning and triggered widespread outrage among residents, who gathered in large numbers at the cremation ground, transforming it into a site of grief and protest.
According to the FIR, the tipper driver, Bhupinder Singh of Train village in Pasyana, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. His vehicle, laden with sand, was found to be unfit for road use—the fitness certificate had expired in January 2024, the pollution certificate had lapsed in July 2023 and road tax had not been paid since 31 December 2023. Additionally, the vehicle’s insurance had expired in January 2025, and it carried an outstanding challan issued by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, dating back to December 2022.
Samana DSP Guriqbal Singh Sikand stated that a case has been registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder against driver Bhupinder Singh and owners Davinder Singh of Sauja village and Randhir Singh of Saman, Patiala. The driver has been arrested and police are verifying whether he held a valid heavy vehicle licence.
The FIR, filed on the complaint of local councillor Sandeep Loomba, stated that the truck was not only overloaded and speeding, but the driver also appeared intoxicated when apprehended.
The deceased students have been identified as Parv Sachdeva (12), Bhivanshi (11), Bhaviyam (8), Aradhya (10), and Sehaj Bansal (12). The sixth victim was the driver of the private vehicle transporting the children, Balwinder Singh.
Public fury, anguished scenes at cremation
As the bodies of the young victims arrived for cremation, heart-wrenching scenes unfolded. Parents collapsed in grief, inconsolable in the face of unimaginable loss. Among them, Karan Sachdeva—who lost both his children, daughter Bhivanshi and son Bhaviyam—broke down as relatives and residents tried to comfort him.
Outraged residents raised slogans against the ruling party, accusing it of shielding the sand mining mafia and turning a blind eye to the reckless practices of truck operators.
Government vows action
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it the worst since the 1982 boat mishap that claimed 22 children. “This incident is not letting me sleep. The faces of the innocent children haunt me," he said.
Dr Singh added that police have been instructed to use speed guns for enforcement and issue challans against violators.
Patiala