Sonabarighat Accident: Death toll rises to 4; 2 still in critical condition

Last night around 10:45 PM a 12-wheel fertiliser loaded truck disassemble while on the move. The truck (HP 72 A 9595) was on a bridge on Aizawl road in Sonabarighat part 1 area, on the railing of the same bridge five people were sitting and talking. The upper part of the lorry went on the other side of the bridge but the lower side with the wheels hit the five on the railing in full force.

Initially three people were declared spot dead, they were identified as, Sahab Uddin (45 years, Saidpur), Ashuk Uddin (25) and Taj Uddin (33) of Sonabarighat area. Today Sonai Police Station informed us that another dead body was recovered from the spot, eyewitnesses suspect the fourth dead is a handyman who was missing initially. Anwar Hussain (35 years) and Ainul Haque (28 years) of Saidpur area were also sitting on the railing of the bridge and are now admitted in Silchar Medical College and Hospital. According to sources both of them are in critical condition. Truck driver Sukhinder and handyman Prakash also got injured in the accident.

Ashuk, Taj, Sahab, Anwar and Ainul are daily wagers and after their day’s work often sit on the railing of the bridge. According to eyewitnesses it was one of the most bizarre road accidents, the legs were separated from the body, the lower part of the dead body was somewhere and the upper body was in a totally different place. Immediately after the accident SP Rakesh Roushan and MLA Aminul Haque visited the spot.

A resident of Sonabarighat area who rushed to the spot right after the accident tells us that the truck was over loaded. The locals also feel that the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol. We do not have official confirmation of either of the two allegations.