Panic ensued late at night near Cheema Chowk when a truck, while en route to pick up a load, suddenly went out of control, veered off course, and crashed into nearby shops. According to reports, the truck driver—identified as Ridmal—was heading to load the vehicle when a leaf spring (gataka) failed mid-journey, causing the vehicle to lose its balance.
Eyewitness Balwinder Singh, whose shop is located right near the accident site, stated that the incident occurred sometime between 1:30 AM and 2:00 AM. The truck suddenly crashed into his shop’s entrance, simultaneously slamming into another adjacent shop. The impact was so severe that the shops’ shutters and electricity meters were damaged.
Following the incident, a crowd gathered at the scene and immediately checked on the driver’s condition; however, it was determined that the driver was not under the influence of any intoxicants. Preliminary investigations suggest that a technical malfunction in the truck was the cause of the accident.
Fortunately, there was no loss of life in this incident; otherwise, it could have resulted in a major tragedy. Local residents have urged the authorities to ensure the periodic inspection of such heavy vehicles to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
