Three persons lost their lives, and two others sustained severe injuries after a “speeding” Fortuner crashed into a stationary truck on the airport road in Zirakpur on Thursday afternoon, police said. The accident occurred around 3.30 pm near a restaurant, triggering panic among passersby and causing a temporary traffic disruption on the busy stretch.

Officials said eight people were in the SUV bearing Mohali registration number. It was heading towards Mohali from the Ambala-Chandigarh highway when it hit a three-wheeler parked alongside the road before ramming into the parked truck from behind.

The front portion of the SUV was completely damaged as more than half of the vehicle got wedged under the trailer. Local residents said they rushed to the spot where they found the occupants trapped inside and screaming for help.

Zirakpur SHO Satinder Singh said, “After considerable effort, the doors were opened and the occupants were pulled out. Amrik Singh (68), Balbir Singh (70) and Harjit Singh (35) died on the spot due to critical injuries. The others were rushed to a hospital.”

The SHO added that preliminary findings suggested that overspeeding and loss of control by the Fortuner driver led to the accident. “We are also scanning CCTV footage from the surrounding area to ascertain the exact sequence of events and determine whether any negligence was involved in the parking of heavy vehicles along the roadside. We are yet to file an FIR,” he said.

Scooterist dead in mishap

A 34-year-old man died after a Scorpio, allegedly being driven on the wrong side, hit his scooter on a slip road near the airport road in Sunny Enclave area late Wednesday night. A pillion rider sustained injuries, officials said.

The deceased has been identified as Rohit of Maloya. He hailed from Kangra district in Himachal. He had joined an office in Chandigarh on January 12 and had been working as an office coordinator. He is survived by his wife and his three-and-a-half-year-old son.

According to the police, the accident occurred around 11 pm. Rohit was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead. The pillion rider was admitted to a private hospital.

Police said the Scorpio driver fled with the vehicle. The Sadar Kharar police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Cops are working to identify and trace the accused.