Precious lives wiped out at the cruel hands of the destiny in Dehradun, a 6 year old rescued

Sunil Negi, Editor UKnationnews
Dehradun, November 5, 2026

Four people were killed after a speeding container truck loaded with plastic granules overturned onto an i20 car near Mohabbewala on the Dehradun-Delhi Highway on Wednesday afternoon. A six-year-old child travelling in the car was rescued safely in what police described as a miraculous escape.

The deceased have been identified as Vishesh Kapoor (38), GST advocate from Gokul Dham Colony, Saharanpur, his wife Nisha Anand Kapoor (35), his mother Kiran Kapoor (63), and driver Neeraj.

The family was travelling from Saharanpur to Dehradun to visit Vishesh’s younger brother Deepesh Kapoor, whose wife is pregnant. The accident occurred at around 3:30 PM at Mohabbewala Chowk when the container, after crossing the rumble strip, lost control and overturned onto the car.

Police, fire brigade and local residents launched a major rescue operation. After removing the container with a crane, the car was cut open with gas cutters. The 6-year-old Maher Kapoor was pulled out alive and rushed to Coronation Hospital. The four others were declared dead at the hospital.

Police said the container driver fled the spot. Investigation is underway to ascertain whether brake failure or overspeeding caused the accident. Post-mortem of all four bodies was conducted on Thursday.

Mohabbewala has now become a notorious black spot. On February 18 this year, an uncontrolled truck overturned on a car and caught fire. On September 20, a cement-laden truck overturned killing a bike rider and injuring two others.

UTTARAKHAND: ONE DEATH EVERY 8 HOURS ON ROADS

The Mohabbewala tragedy is not an isolated incident. It is part of a terrifying and rising pattern in Uttarakhand, where road accidents kill more people than murder, disasters and all other unnatural causes combined.

According to the Uttarakhand Transport Department and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), on an average, 3 persons die every day in Uttarakhand – one death every 8 hours.

TOTAL DEATHS IN LAST FIVE YEARS: 5,248
Year Total Road Accidents Total Deaths Injured
2021 1,493 820 1,210
2022 1,674 1,042 1,390
2023 1,691 1,054 1,450
2024 1,747 1,090 1,550
2025 1,846 1,242 2,056
Total 2021-2025 8,451 5,248 7,656

Sources: MoRTH Report “Road Accidents in India” for 2021-2024, Uttarakhand Transport Department data for 2025. Figures for 2020 were 674 deaths. If 2020 is included, the 6-year total (2020-2025) crosses 5,922 deaths.

LAST YEAR – 2025: DEADLIEST YEAR ON RECORD

2025 was the deadliest year in Uttarakhand’s 25-year history:

– Total Accidents: 1,846
– *lTotal Deaths: 1,242 (some media reports citing Transport Department put the figure at 1,285)
– Total Injured: 2,056
– Rise Over 2024: Deaths up by 14% – from 1,090 in 2024 to 1,242 in 2025
– Accidents up by 5.6% – from 1,747 in 2024 to 1,846 in 2025

Upto October 2025 alone, there were 1,484 accidents, 988 deaths and 1,728 injured, already more than the full-year 2024 toll at that point.

THIS YEAR – 2026: STILL WORSE

– Jan to July 2026: 775 deaths in just 7 months
– Jan to August 2026: 1,272 crashes, 878 deaths, 1,448 injured
– Average: More than 110 deaths per month in 2026

At this pace, 2026 is on track to cross the 2025 record.

DISTRICT-WISE: PLAINS MORE DEADLY THAN HILLS

Contrary to popular belief, most deaths happen not in the hills but in the plains:

– Haridwar: 362 deaths (2025 to July 2026)
– Udham Singh Nagar: 342 deaths
– Dehradun: 264 deaths
– Nainital: 196 deaths

53% of all fatalities happen in the three plain districts, while the severity – deaths per 100 accidents – is 84% in hilly regions, far above the national average of 33%.

Uttarakhand ranks 6th in India for deaths per 100 accidents, while Himachal Pradesh with similar terrain ranks 20th.

WHY ARE UTTARAKHAND’S ROADS SO DEADLY?

Deputy Transport Commissioner Shailesh Tiwari has repeatedly said rash driving and speeding are the principal causes.

Other causes cited by experts and SDC Foundation:

– Overspeeding and wrong-side driving – Main cause in Mohabbewala case also
– Overloading – As in Almora bus tragedy (36 killed, Nov 2024) and Rudraprayag Tempo Traveller (15 killed, June 2024)
– Narrow, landslide-prone mountain roads without crash barriers
– 2,559 identified black spots – Work completed at 2,140, pending at 419
– Driver fatigue, drunken driving, use of mobile phone
– Poor vehicle maintenance and absence of trauma care in hills

The Transport Department has now commissioned an independent audit of 40 black spots to examine why accidents continue despite engineering changes. A budget of about Rs 800 crore has been allocated for road safety.

THE BIG PICTURE

In 24 years since state formation, over 20,000 people have lost their lives in road accidents in Uttarakhand. In the last five years alone, more than 5,500 people have died.

CONTAINER OVERTURNS ON CAR IN DEHRADUN’S MOHABBEWALA: 4 Killed Including Saharanpur Lawyer, Wife, Mother And Driver, 6-Year-Old Son Miraculously Survives – Uttarakhand’s Roads Claim Over 5,200 Lives In Last Five Years