Sangrur:
Eight labourers engaged in road construction were killed, and several others were injured after a car ran over them on Jakhal Road near Chotian village in the Lehragaga area of Punjab's Sangrur district.
The speeding sedan reportedly lost control and veered into a group of over 20 workers who were standing on the roadside at the time. The driver of the Chevrolet Optra Magnum was identified as Pargat Singh Kala, a resident of Raidhrana village, but he managed to escape from the spot.
The victims included six women, Karmjeet Kaur, Niki, Sarbjeet Kaur, Ranjeet Kaur, Karmjeet, and Rani Kaur; and two men, Jivan Singh and Des Raj. Seven of the victims were residents of Alisher village, it is learnt so far. Five of them died at the scene, while others died of injuries during treatment.
Harvinder Singh, a worker at a nearby factory, was among the first rescuers to reach the site after hearing of the crash. He said the victims were all "MGNREGA workers", referring to the rural job guarantee scheme now officially designated as VB G-RAM-G.
Harvinder described a chaotic and harrowing scene upon his arrival, noting that at least 23 workers were injured, with four to five in critical condition fighting for their lives.
"When I arrived from the factory, there were no villagers present yet, only five to six bodies lying at the spot. All of the victims are poor labourers. He made serious allegations of administrative negligence and delayed medical response, claiming that despite on-duty police officers calling for medical transport, the ambulance took nearly an hour to reach the site. Another witness said that victims lay suffering on the roadside while authorities insisted on completing "formalities" before arriving. "They died awaiting an ambulance; many of them bled to death," he said.
He further alleged that the accused driver managed to flee the scene approximately 15 minutes after police arrived.
A large number of workers and villagers gathered at the scene, protesting for immediate action and compensation.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who is the local MLA, expressed deep sorrow and assured full support to the families.
Punjab Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring called the incident "heartbreaking," urging the district administration to step in immediately: "These are the poorest workers who toil hard to earn a living. I urge the administration to ensure immediate medical aid for the injured, sternest action against those responsible, and adequate compensation for the families of the victims."
Police said they have initiated an investigation and are conducting raids to arrest the driver.