Raj: 14 dead, 13 injured as dumper truck ploughs into multiple vehicles

Jaipur: A road bustling with daily commuters in Jaipur’s Harmada area turned into a scene of devastation on Monday afternoon when a rashly driven dumper truck ploughed into at least 17 vehicles, leaving 14 people dead and 13 injured.

Bodies were strewn across the road, mangled cars lined the highway, and several motorbikes were crushed under the dumper’s wheels following the horrific chain collision that occurred near Loha Mandi.

The dumper truck, whose driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, rammed into multiple vehicles on a 300-metre stretch before crashing into a trailer, police said.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, his deputies Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the loss of lives.

“Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Jaipur, Rajasthan. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.

“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” PM Modi said on X.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as nothing short of a massacre.

“We saw people pulling out one body after another from the wrecked cars. Some were trapped inside; others were lying on the road. It was chaos, screams and blood everywhere,” said Mahesh Sharma, a local shopkeeper.

According to District Collector Jitendra Soni, the dumper came from Road No. 14 towards the Loha Mandi petrol pump at high speed, hitting vehicles in its path.

“Fourteen people died and 13 are injured. The injured are being treated at SMS Hospital’s trauma centre, and several are in a critical condition,” Soni said.

Additional Police Commissioner Rajiv Pachar, who was present at the scene, said that the dumper was being driven recklessly.