Two trucks travelling on National Highway 44 in Samalkha, Panipat district of Haryana, collided head-on early on Monday morning, December 31. The accident resulted in the death of one driver and serious injuries to the other.
The collision was so severe that both vehicles—an empty oil container and a trailer—mounted the divider and remained precariously suspended in the air. The oil container driver sustained critical injuries after falling from a height, while the trailer driver, who was trapped inside his vehicle, succumbed to his injuries.
The deceased has been identified as Surjeet Singh, aged 38, a resident of Punjab. Highway traffic in-charge Manoj Kumar stated that the incident occurred at around 3:28 am on a flyover in front of the General Hospital in Samalkha. An empty oil container travelling from Delhi to Panipat lost control, reportedly due to drowsiness, veered onto the wrong side of the divider, and collided with a trailer coming from the Delhi lane.
Truck and Tanker Collision on National Highway 44
The impact of the crash caused both the trailer and the container to become suspended above the divider. Emergency responders extricated the injured oil container driver and rushed him to the General Hospital in Samalkha. He was later referred to Panipat Government Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
The body of the deceased driver, Surjeet Singh, has been kept at the Panipat mortuary. After post-mortem formalities, it will be handed over to his family.