A tragic late-night accident in Ludhiana claimed five lives—including two minor girls—after a speeding Hyundai Verna crashed into a road divider near the Ladhowal toll plaza early Monday. The impact was so severe that the vehicle overturned and was dragged several metres from the point of collision, killing all occupants instantly.

Police said the victims, all residents of Jagraon town, suffered grievous injuries, with some sustaining fatal head trauma and others suffering severed limbs due to the force of the crash. Their bodies have been sent to the Civil Hospital in Ludhiana for post-mortem examination.

According to preliminary information, the driver appears to have lost control of the vehicle before it rammed into the divider. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Kashmir Singh told reporters that police personnel rushed to the scene as soon as they received the alert and immediately requested an NHAI ambulance. Rescue teams worked to extricate the victims from the mangled car before transporting the bodies to the hospital. Efforts are currently underway to contact the families of the deceased.

The incident also brings renewed attention to road safety measures in Punjab. In August, the state police integrated the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) helpline 1033 and the cybercrime helpline 1930 with the unified emergency number 112. This system now enables citizens to report highway accidents, breakdowns, hazards, as well as financial fraud and cybercrimes, through a single number.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has previously highlighted that nearly 65 percent of road fatalities in Punjab occur on national and state highways, with most deadly crashes taking place between 6 p.m. and midnight—hours when police presence tends to be minimal. Last year, he launched 144 hi-tech vehicles under the specialised Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) to improve highway patrolling, manage traffic flow, and reduce accidents across the state.