Three individuals lost their lives on Sunday in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, when their car plunged into the Ramganga River from an under-construction bridge. According to media sources, the vehicle’s GPS navigational app failed to reflect that a portion of the bridge had collapsed earlier due to flooding, leading the driver to the unsafe structure.
Accident Details
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on the Khalpur-Dataganj road as the victims were traveling from Bareilly to Dataganj in Badaun district. Police teams from Bareilly and Dataganj responded to the scene promptly.
A local Circle Officer explained, “Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the GPS. As a result, the driver was misled and did not realize the bridge was unsafe.”
Additionally, the bridge lacked adequate safety barriers or warning signs, further contributing to the tragedy.
The riverbed under the bridge was dry, which increased the severity of the impact when the car fell. All three occupants of the vehicle succumbed to their injuries.
Poor Visibility Due to Fog
Dense foggy conditions in the area worsened the situation, reducing visibility and making it difficult for the driver to spot the broken bridge in time. The car’s high speed also prevented the driver from responding quickly to the sudden hazard.
Two of the deceased were identified through their ID cards as residents of Farrukhabad district, while the identity of the third individual is still under verification. The victims’ bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations, and an investigation into the accident is underway.
Similar Accidents Linked to Fog
In another fog-related incident on November 14 in Firozabad district, a collision involving a roadways bus left 20 passengers injured. Another half a dozen individuals sustained injuries in a separate accident on the same day.
Ashwini Kumar, an inspector from Mathura district, explained one such crash: “It appears that a truck, also heading for Delhi, applied brakes and the driver of the roadways bus behind could not see the truck stopping. The bus rammed into the back of the truck. The front part of the bus suffered damages, and 12 passengers suffered injuries.”
Authorities have urged caution when traveling under dense fog conditions and emphasized the need for clear signage and barriers at construction sites to prevent such tragedies.