NONGSTOIN/SHILLONG: Rogue drivers and speeding trucks have turned national highways in the state into killer zones and a series of accidents, which led to multiple casualties and grievous injuries, in the last two days is testimony to that.
In the most gruesome among the accidents, a 56-year-old woman died on the spot and four others were injured when a truck rammed into the vehicle she was travelling in on Shillong-Nongstoin national highway near
Markasa in West Khasi Hills on Friday morning.
The woman, identified as Rose Lyngdoh, was travelling with four relatives to Guwahati where her two daughters live. She was from Laitkseh village in the district.
The accident occurred around 7am. The truck, with Assam registration number, was coming from Shillong and after crossing the stretch at Mawroh it hit the car on the side where the woman was sitting behind the driver’s seat.
The impact was so massive that Rose’s face was mutilated and the portion from the upper jaw was ripped off. Her body is at Nongstoin Civil Hospital for postmortem.
Standbording Myrthong (34), the driver of the hatchback who was among the injured, said the accident occurred because the truck coming from the opposite direction was speeding and lost control at the curve.
The 108 ambulance from Markasa took the injured to Markasa PHC where they were referred to Mairang Civil Hospital and KJP Robert Hospital Shillong.
Nongstoin police have registered a case against the driver of the truck.
In another road mishap in West Jaintia Hills, a 43-year-old person died when the hatchback he was driving collided with another small car on Thursday.
The deceased man was identified as Tyngsain Dkhar. The Hyundai i-10 that hit the Dkhar’s car at Ummulong was driven by Anup Kumar.
Sources said Kumar came from the opposite direction in high speed. Another person travelling with Dkhar sustained injuries.
In Laitkor, three persons were injured, one grievously, when an SPTS bus heading towards the city lost control and dashed five small cars on Friday. Police said the bus developed mechanical glitch.
The driver has been arrested and he was forwarded to judicial custody.
The vehicles hit by the bus are a Maruti Alto, three local taxis and a tourist vehicle.
One of the passengers of a local taxi who sustained serious injuries is admitted in a city hospital.
In another incident of speeding truck on Friday, three persons were injured at Puriang in West Jaintia Hills.
The truck with Assam registration number hit a small car from behind which in turn hit another truck.
The driver of the truck that was going to Guwahati from Jowai is absconding.
The three injured persons have been identified as Eladmi Lathong (23), Lehbha Suchiang (44) and Deiliwin Biam (40).
