Two separate road accidents on Wednesday, 6 May claimed two lives and left one person critically injured in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, triggering public protests and a major rescue operation. In the first incident, a 50-year-old daily wage labourer was run over by a speeding dumper truck on Kanwali Road, while in the second, a truck plunged into a 100-metre-deep gorge on the Dehradun-Mussoorie route in the early hours of the morning.

Labourer Killed on Kanwali Road, Driver Absconds

The deceased has been identified as Sakal Dev Sahni, a resident of Sitamarhi district in Bihar, who had migrated to Dehradun in search of work and was residing in Kaunli village along with fellow labourers. On Wednesday morning, Sahni was walking towards Labour Chowk with companions to seek daily employment when a speeding, loaded dumper truck reportedly ran over him, killing him on the spot. The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident.

Following the accident, a large crowd of angry locals and fellow labourers gathered at the site and staged a protest by blocking the road. The agitated crowd prevented police personnel from removing the body for a considerable period, demanding strict action against the absconding driver and improved road safety measures on the stretch.

Police teams reached the spot promptly and worked to bring the situation under control. After considerable effort, authorities managed to disperse the crowd, take the body into custody, and send it for post-mortem examination. A case has been registered, and a search operation has been launched to trace the absconding dumper driver. The incident led to traffic disruptions for several hours in the area.

Truck Plunges Into Gorge on Dehradun-Mussoorie Route

In a separate incident, a truck carrying rations and cold drinks fell into a deep gorge at approximately 5:30 am on the same morning, at a location roughly 200 metres ahead of Mussoorie Lake towards Dehradun. The truck, bearing registration number UK 07-CB-1727, was travelling from Dehradun Railway Station to Uttarkashi with a consignment of cold drinks, oil, and other essential supplies when it reportedly went out of control and plunged into the gorge.

The truck driver, identified as Mubarak, son of Ilyas Ali and a resident of Timli under Sahaspur police station limits in Dehradun, died on the spot. The helper, identified as Sajid, son of Rahmat, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Multi-Agency Rescue Operation Deployed

Given the depth of the gorge and the challenging terrain, a large multi-agency rescue effort was mounted. Teams from the Mussoorie Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Services, 108 Ambulance service, and the Sub-District Hospital rushed to the scene. Due to the severity of the terrain, a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also called in to assist with retrieving the victims.

Mussoorie Station House Officer Devendra Chauhan stated that preliminary investigations suggest the driver may have dozed off momentarily, leading to the loss of control. A detailed probe has been initiated, and the families of both victims have been informed.

Road Safety Concerns in Focus

Both incidents have reignited concerns about road safety on Dehradun's key arterial routes, particularly around heavy vehicle movement and driver fatigue on mountain roads. This comes amid recurring reports of accidents on the Dehradun-Mussoorie stretch, one of Uttarakhand's busiest hill corridors. Authorities are expected to face renewed pressure from residents and labour groups to enforce stricter traffic regulations and vehicle fitness checks. The search for the absconding dumper driver on Kanwali Road remains ongoing.