Latehar road accident: Six killed, including child, in Chandwa collision
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, August 16: Six people, including a child, were killed in a horrific road accident in Jharkhand’s Latehar…
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THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, August 16: Six people, including a child, were killed in a horrific road accident in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Saturday evening, August 15, after a container truck first hit a motorcycle and then collided head-on with an autorickshaw.
The accident took place around 5 pm to 5.30 pm at Derhtangwa Ghati under Chandwa police station limits on the Chandwa-Lohardaga road.
Three Killed After Container Hits Motorcycle
Latehar SDPO Sandip Kumar Gupta said the container first collided with a motorcycle carrying three people. All three—including a child, his mother and another family member—died on the spot.
The container then crashed into an autorickshaw travelling in the opposite direction, killing three more people, including the driver and two passengers.
The impact was so severe that the bodies were badly mutilated, the police said.
On the directions of Latehar Deputy Commissioner Sandip Kumar, post-mortems of all six victims were conducted during the night at Latehar Sadar Hospital.
Container Seized, Driver Flees
Police have seized the container involved in the accident, but its driver managed to flee from the spot amid the confusion following the collision. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.
According to police, the container was travelling from the Lohardaga side towards Chandwa, while the motorcycle and autorickshaw were heading towards Lohardaga from Chandwa.
Latehar Administration Seeks Heavy Vehicle Ban
The fatal accident has once again raised concerns over road safety on the Chandwa-Lohardaga stretch, particularly at sharp turns where visibility is limited.
Latehar Deputy Commissioner Sandip Kumar has written to his Lohardaga counterpart seeking a ban on heavy vehicular traffic between Chandwa’s Lookuiyya More and Lohardaga’s Chapi road.
“There is no way to prevent accidents on this stretch except by prohibiting heavy vehicle traffic,” the Deputy Commissioner told The Jharkhand Story.
The Lohardaga administration will take the final decision on the proposal, he said.
Alternative Route Proposed for Heavy Vehicles
Officials have pointed to the Lohardaga-Kuru-Chandwa route as an alternative for heavy vehicles. The route could help reduce the movement of heavy traffic on the accident-prone stretch and improve road safety for local commuters.
However, some truck operators have raised concerns about the alternative route, saying it would increase both fuel consumption and travel time, making transportation more expensive.
Committee to Examine Road Safety Measures
The Latehar administration is also planning a meeting with officials from Lohardaga to formulate safety measures for the vulnerable stretch.
A committee led by the District Transport Officer and including the Latehar SDPO will meet their counterparts in Lohardaga to discuss measures to prevent further accidents.
One of the suggestions is to install large convex mirrors at sharp turns and other accident-prone locations to improve visibility for motorists approaching from opposite directions.
Visual Road Safety Warnings Suggested
Officials are also considering stronger visual warnings for motorists. In Rajasthan, damaged vehicles have reportedly been displayed beside highways to remind drivers of the consequences of reckless and unsafe driving.
Similar measures could be considered on accident-prone stretches in Jharkhand to make motorists more aware of the risks of speeding and careless driving.
