Patna: Three people lost their lives, and three others were seriously injured in a tragic road accident in Patna district on Saturday after an overloaded auto-rickshaw plunged into a roadside ditch and came into contact with a live low-tension (LT) electricity line.
The accident occurred in Byapur village under the Maner police station area near the Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan on the Ramji Chak–Bank road.
According to eyewitnesses, the speeding auto-rickshaw grazed a car, causing the driver to lose control before the vehicle veered off the road and fell into a ditch.
Ten passengers were travelling in the auto-rickshaw at the time.
After falling into the ditch, the vehicle came into contact with an overhead LT power line, resulting in electrocution and triggering panic among the passengers.
Three people died at the scene, while three others sustained serious injuries.
The remaining passengers were rescued by local residents.
As news of the accident spread, a large number of villagers rushed to the spot.
Family members of the victims also arrived, and scenes of grief unfolded at the accident site.
Local residents immediately alerted the emergency Dial 112 service and the Maner police.
On reaching the scene, police first coordinated with the electricity department to disconnect power to the overhead line, ensuring the area was safe for rescue operations.
With the assistance of villagers, the auto-rickshaw and the victims were then pulled out of the ditch.
The bodies of the deceased were sent to Danapur for post-mortem examinations after the completion of legal formalities.
Maner Station House Officer (SHO) Rajnish Kumar confirmed that three people died in the accident.
The deceased have been identified as Pramod Kumar, son of the late Banarasi Rai of Byapur village; Tuntun, son of Ramaikbal of Byapur village; and Panna Sao, son of Ratan Sao of Goraiyasthan.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Authorities are examining the sequence of events that led to the vehicle losing control and the subsequent electrocution.
(IANS)
