Giridih, Jharkhand witnessed a heartbreaking road mishap on Tuesday when a recklessly driven pickup van struck three daily wage laborers walking along the Saraya-Rajdhanwar highway, killing two elderly victims instantly and critically wounding the third. The collision happened close to Makhamrago Panchayat Bhawan in Birni thana jurisdiction.
Among the deceased were Basudev Saw (70) and Lakhiya Devi (65), both from Jitakundi village. The survivor, Dhanpat Saw (65), also from the same village, remains in critical condition at a local hospital after sustaining grievous injuries.
According to details, the laborers were en route to their work site in Makhamrago on foot, as is their routine, when the fast-moving van hit them from the rear. The brute force of the impact led to the immediate deaths of Basudev and Lakhiya, while Dhanpat lay injured on the asphalt.
In a cowardly act, the van driver sped away post-accident. Alert locals informed the police and transported the wounded man to the hospital. Birni police swiftly responded, took custody of the bodies for autopsy, and launched an intensive search operation for the fugitive driver and vehicle.
This tragedy has sparked outrage in Jitakundi, where the community is demanding immediate road safety interventions. Frequent high-speed violations on this stretch have locals calling for speed breakers, awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement to prevent future calamities.
