Punjab: 1 killed, 3 injured as two cars catch fire after collision on NH-44

Phagwara, Nov 24 (PTI) A biker died while three others sustained serious injuries in a pile up involving multiple vehicles after two cars caught fire following a collision on National Highway-44 between Phagwara and Jalandhar, police said on Monday.

The deceased was studying in a private university and belonged to Kerala, they said. He died after his bike hit a vehicle in the pile up on Sunday night. The pillion rider, also a student, has been admitted to a hospital with serious injuries, along with two others travelling in a car, police said.

Sharing details, ASI Baljit Ram from the ‘Sadak Suraksha Force’ said a car had overturned after hitting a divider on the highway, resulting in slow traffic movement.

Around the same time, two other cars collided with each other and caught fire, while a motorcycle passing by hit a vehicle and turned turtle, he said. Its two occupants were rushed to the civil hospital in Phagwara, where one of them succumbed to his injuries, the ASI said.

Fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames, as the accident temporarily disrupted traffic on both sides of the highway, he said. PTI COR SUN ARI