Gas tanker driver dozes off, runs over UP family; father, son dead, daughter critical

Agra: A 50-year-old man and his son, 10, were killed, while his daughter, 13, suffered critical injuries after an empty gas tanker veered off the rural road and ran over them as they slept outside their thatched hut in UP’s Firozabad district early Tuesday.

Preliminary investigation indicates the driver may have dozed off, losing control of the heavy vehicle, police said.The incident took place around 5:30am on Shikohabad-Mainpuri road in Mohammadpur Madai village. Due to the hot weather, Kasim Ali, a daily-wager, and his children -- Toshif and Shahreen -- were asleep on cots under a makeshift shelter next to their house along the road when the tanker, travelling from Araon area, ran over them.The tanker first crushed Kasim’s cot before running over Toshif’s. Kasim’s daughter Shahreen was thrown six feet away by the impact and suffered injuries. The out-of-control tanker also hit a parked auto rickshaw before coming to a halt. Shahreen was shifted to Saifai Medical College.Shikohabad SHO, Anuj Pratap Singh, said, “The truck driver has been detained. A complaint is awaited.” Area SDM Gajender Singh added that a thorough investigation was underway.Aslam Khan, a villager who was at the accident site, said it happened early in the morning. “There was a loud noise and villagers from nearby areas quickly reached the spot and called local police,” Khan added.