Punjab: A tipper truck driver lost his life after the vehicle he was driving fell into a ditch on the banks of the Sutlej near Nangran village. According to information, he was on his way to collect illegally mined material. The victim, Yakub Ali, a 27-year-old resident of Hayatpur, Nurpur Bedi, worked for stone crusher operators.
Around 3.30 am, he drove his tipper into the riverbed but failed to notice the ditch carved out of the riverbed for mining activity in the dark. The tipper plunged into the pit. The contractors managed to recover the truck, but found Yakub dead. His body was later abandoned at the emergency ward of a private hospital in Nurpur Bedi. The victim is survived by his wife, a one-year-old daughter, and elderly parents. He was the breadwinner of the family. His parents approached the Naya Nangal police station seeking registration of a case. While the police recorded their statements, no FIR had been registered till the filing of the report.
Social activist and former Ropar Bar Association president Paramjit Singh strongly criticised the police response. He said the incident clearly involved a death linked to illegal mining, yet the absence of an FIR suggested attempts to shield influential people involved in the racket. Nangal DSP Harkirat Singh said they were waiting for the parents of deceased youth to record their statements for registration of the case.
