Three dead as SUV swerves to avoid stray cattle, gets hit by another car in Greater Noida
The SUV was moving in front and the car behind it. In a bid to save the bovine, the SUV driver suddenly swerved right and the Swift crashed into it, causing the Mahindra SUV to overturn; nine others were injured in the accident
Three people were killed and nine injured after two cars they were travelling in allegedly collided and one of them overturned while trying to avoid a stray cattle on the road in Greater Noida’s Ecotech 3 locality early Monday morning, senior police officers said.
“The deceased have been identified as 32-year-old Mohidul, who goes by a single name, Abdul Rafiq, 35, and Sultan Ahmad, 30. All three hailed from Assam and resided in shanties in Kulesara in Ecotech 3, Greater Noida, and worked as ragpickers,” said Sumit Shukla, assistant commissioner of police, Greater Noida,
“On Sunday night, a family of 12 had gone to attend a wedding in Devla, Greater Noida, around 10.5km from their home in Ecotech 3,” said Badle Singh, an acquaintance of the deceased men.
“After attending the wedding, around 3am on Monday, they were returning home in two cars— a Swift and a Mahindra SUV—when a stray cattle suddenly appeared on the road near D Park police outpost in Ecotech 3,” Singh said.
“The SUV was moving in front and the car behind it. In a bid to save the bovine, the SUV driver suddenly swerved right and the Swift crashed into it, causing the Mahindra SUV to overturn,” said Singh, adding that all three deceased were travelling in the SUV, whose driver escaped unhurt.
“The deceased used to work with me and sold me scrap that they collected every day. I came to know about the incident on Monday night, after receiving a call from one of the injured,” said Singh.
However, police had a different version of events. They said the SUV driver took a wrong turn at high speed and the Swift, which was coming behind it, rammed the SUV from the right side, causing it to overturn.
Police said there were seven men in the SUV and five men in the Swift, he said.
The impact of the crash was such that the Mahindra SUV was completely mangled while the front portion of the Swift was also damaged, police said.
“Investigation has revealed that the SUV driver had to take a right turn from D Park police outpost, but he mistakenly took a right sharp turn before reaching the junction and the Swift crashed into the SUV,” said Dharmendra Kumar Shukla, station house officer, Ecotech 3.
He said police were alerted by one of the injured men on emergency helpline Dial 112, and a team rushed to the spot. They took the injured to a hospital, where three died while undergoing treatment and nine were informed to be out of danger, Shukla said.
“No case has been registered as yet as no one had come forward with a complaint in the matter. Further investigations are underway in the case,” said Shukla.