Co-driver dies of truck en routing to Leh catches fire in Kathua

According to police, a co-driver of a truck transporting biscuits and confectionery to Leh was charred to death after the vehicle he was travelling in a caught fire late on Sunday at Rajbagh on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway in Kathua district.

The deceased’s identity has yet to be determined.

“A truck transporting biscuits and wafers as well as confectionery to Leh collided with a parked truck on the highway at Rajbagh around 1.30 or 2 a.m.” “It appears that the driver was sleeping, which caused the accident,” said Kathua senior superintendent of police (SSP), RC Kotwal.

“As soon as the Leh-bound truck hit the parked truck, the former caught fire. While the driver jumped out of the truck and fled from the spot, his co-driver got stuck in the cabin. A fire that erupted and quickly engulfed the cabin burnt the co-driver before he could rescue himself,” said the SSP.

A firefighter arrived on the scene and put out the fire, but it was too late to save the man, adding that a thorough investigation is underway.

“The truck came from Sonepat.” Following the incident, we contacted the owners and informed them of the situation. “The transport company owners told us that because it was a long drive from Sonepat to Leh, they had sent two drivers to drive in shifts,” said Rajbagh station house officer (SHO), inspector Amit Sangra.

He added that they would inform us of the identities of the two drivers.

According to Sangra, a case was filed against the driver, currently on the run, under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 304-A (causing death by negligence).