Patna, Nov 7 — Two people were killed, and three others were seriously injured after a speeding SUV rammed into a parked concrete mixer truck on the Patna-Buxar four-lane highway in Bihar's Buxar district, police said on Saturday.
The accident occurred near Nuaon village under the jurisdiction of the Krishna Brahm police station.
According to eyewitnesses, the SUV was travelling from Patna towards Buxar when it collided with the truck parked alongside the highway.
The impact was so severe that the SUV was completely mangled, trapping its occupants inside.
Based on the religious offerings (prasad) and other belongings scattered at the accident site, it is suspected that the five occupants were returning to their home in Lucknow after offering prayers at Baba Dham Deoghar.
Krishna Sharma, an eyewitness, said the speeding SUV rammed into the truck carrying a concrete mixer machine used in road construction, killing two occupants on the spot and seriously injuring three others.
Following the accident, local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot and arranged for the injured to be taken to Dumraon Sub-Divisional Hospital for treatment. Two of the injured were subsequently referred to Buxar Sadar Hospital for advanced medical care, while the third continued to receive treatment at Dumraon Hospital.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Bhaskar Ranjan reached the accident site and initiated an investigation. He said the driver might have lost control of the vehicle, possibly after falling asleep at the wheel, causing it to crash into the stationary concrete mixer truck.
However, the exact cause of the accident is yet to be established. "Two people have died in the accident, while three others sustained serious injuries. One injured person is undergoing treatment at Dumraon Sub-Divisional Hospital, while the other two have been admitted to Buxar Sadar Hospital. The identities of the deceased are being established," Ranjan said.
Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the accident and trying to establish the identities and backgrounds of all five occupants.