A road bustling with daily commuters in Jaipur's Harmada area turned into a scene of devastation on Monday afternoon when a rashly driven dumper truck ploughed into at least 17 vehicles, leaving 14 people dead and 13 injured.
Bodies were strewn across the road, mangled cars lined the highway, and several motorbikes were crushed under the dumper's wheels following the horrific chain collision that occurred near Loha Mandi.
The dumper truck, whose driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, rammed into multiple vehicles on a 300-metre stretch before crashing into a trailer, police said.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, his deputies Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the loss of lives.
"Pained by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Jaipur, Rajasthan. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," PM Modi said on X.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as nothing short of a massacre.
"We saw people pulling out one body after another from the wrecked cars. Some were trapped inside; others were lying on the road. It was chaos, screams and blood everywhere," said Mahesh Sharma, a local shopkeeper.
According to District Collector Jitendra Soni, the dumper came from Road No. 14 towards the Loha Mandi petrol pump at high speed, hitting vehicles in its path.
"Fourteen people died and 13 are injured. The injured are being treated at SMS Hospital's trauma centre, and several are in a critical condition," Soni told PTI.
Additional Police Commissioner Rajiv Pachar, who was present at the scene, said that the dumper was being driven recklessly.
The driver hit a car, prompting locals to chase him. He accelerated further, hitting pedestrians and bikers along the road. He then stopped after colliding with a trailer truck and a car on the Delhi-Ajmer Highway.
Locals managed to nab the driver and handed him over to the police.
On whether the driver was intoxicated, he said, "Since the accused driver is injured, the situation will become clear only after a medical examination. However, the nature of the accident indicates it could certainly be due to intoxication or medical factors." CCTV footage showed the dumper truck speeding at over 100 kmph, ramming into vehicles and crushing motorcyclists.
After the accident, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation administration swung into action, confiscating "illegal" signs and items placed on the road.
Among the injured were members of a family from Agra -- Nanji Bhai, his brother, two women and a child -- who were returning from Khatushyamji after offering prayers.
"Our car was parked on the roadside when the dumper hit it from behind. The dumper hit our car. Five people of the family have sustained injuries," Nanji Bhai said.
Rakesh, a relative of deceased Mahendra (38), a weaver, said, "They live on Bainad Road in Jaipur. Mahendra's elder brother has two daughters, Varsha (19) and Bhanu (5), who had come to Jaipur to celebrate Diwali with their uncle.
"After the holidays, Mahendra had come to the bus stand with his two nieces to take them back to Sikar. This is when the accident occurred. Varsha is in the trauma centre, while Mahendra and Bhanu have died." The accident triggered protests in the area, with people demanding stricter enforcement of road safety laws.
This is the second major road accident in Rajasthan in as many days. Fifteen people died and two were injured when a tempo traveller rammed a stationary trailer truck in Phalodi area on Sunday evening.
