Kanpur: Twelve members of a family from Madhya Pradesh were injured, five of them seriously, after their car was hit from behind by a speeding dumper on the Agra-Kanpur National Highway in Etawah on Tuesday morning.The family was returning home after offering prayers at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya when the accident occurred near Parmanand Ashram under the Ekdil police station area.Police said the family, comprising residents of Bhind and Gwalior, was travelling back from Ayodhya after having darshan of Ramlala. The car was carrying 12 people, including three women and four children.As the vehicle reached near Parmanand Ashram, a speeding dumper allegedly rammed into it from behind, badly damaging the car.The seriously injured were identified as Mahesh of Gwalior, Rajiv of Bhind, his wife Pooja, Bunty of Gwalior and his wife Lalita Devi. The remaining passengers, including children, also sustained injuries.The impact of the collision left several occupants trapped inside the mangled vehicle. Hearing their cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot and informed the police.A highway police team, with the help of local residents, rescued the trapped passengers and shifted all the injured to a nearby hospital by ambulance. Police said four of the injured sustained minor injuries and were discharged after receiving first aid, while the others are undergoing treatment.“A team from Ekdil police station reached the spot immediately and launched a rescue operation. The damaged vehicles were removed from the highway, traffic was restored, and an investigation into the accident has been initiated,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Shrish Chandra Mishra.
