Accident on Mumbai - Delhi National Highway
A couple died after being trapped overnight in their crushed car on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway with no emergency response.
A tragic accident on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway has raised serious questions about road safety and emergency response systems. The incident involved a married couple, 42-year-old Lakshmi Ram and his 38-year-old wife Kusumlata.
The couple had been visiting family in Rajasthan and left around 7:00 pm to return to their home in Delhi, where their four children were waiting. Around midnight on 2 December, when they reached Naushera in Haryana, their WagonR was hit from behind by a heavy lorry. The impact crushed the rear of the car and pushed it off the road into a metal barrier, damaging the front as well.
The airbags deployed and jammed the doors, trapping the couple inside. Within 22 minutes, the damaged car was hit again by a speeding Maruti Ertiga. The driver reversed and fled without stopping. Neither vehicle driver helped the injured couple.
Despite the expressway having CCTV cameras, a control room, and patrol teams, the crash went unnoticed overnight. The couple remained trapped and injured for hours. Their bodies were finally discovered at 8:00 am by a patrolling team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Some reports say villagers noticed the vehicle earlier and informed the police.
Family members questioned how such a damaged car went unnoticed. Lakshmi Ram’s uncle said repeated calls went unanswered until a policeman answered the phone the next morning. His cousin stated that Kusumlata may have survived with timely help.
NHAI has issued notices to the surveillance agency and the engineer on duty. Police are reviewing CCTV footage to trace the vehicles involved. No arrests have been made yet. The couple died waiting for help that never arrived.
