Ramgarh: Eight members of a band party were killed when their pickup van collided head-on with a speeding truck on the Ramgarh-Bokaro stretch of NH-23 near Barlong village in Ramgarh district late on Thursday, police said.The deceased have been identified as Hemant Mahto, 27, Manish Kumar, 22, Anod Kumar, 30, Shakti Kalindi, 35, Ashok Kalindi, 40, Vishal Karmali, 25, Pawan Karmali, 30, and Pappu Karmali, 26.The victims were returning to Ramgarh after performing at an event when the accident occurred around 11:30 pm. The impact left the pickup van mangled, with all occupants critically injured. The truck driver fled after the accident.“They were rushed to Sadar Hospital in Ramgarh, where all eight were declared brought dead,” said Krishna Kumar, officer in-charge of Rajrappa police station.Following the accident, hundreds of villagers blocked the highway, demanding action. Senior police and administrative officers reached the spot to pacify the crowd and restore traffic movement.Subdivisional officer Krishna Murari Tirkey said the process of providing compensation to the victims’ families, as per state govt norms, has been initiated.Ramgarh deputy commissioner Rituraj said a probe was ordered and directed the district transport officer (DTO) to conduct an inquiry.Later on Friday, the DC and SP Mukesh Kumar Lunayat inspected the accident site along with a technical team of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The officials carried out a detailed assessment and directed immediate and long-term corrective measures to prevent recurrence of such accidents.“The technical team presented its findings and suggested several remedial steps, following which the DC has directed that all short-term measures be completed within 24 hours,” read an official communique from the information and public relations department.It added that NHAI has been asked to install rumble strips, put up adequate warning and directional signage, and ensure proper lighting at the site. “These measures will help alert drivers in advance and reduce the chances of accidents,” Rituraj said.For long-term safety, NHAI has been directed to complete road widening wherever required, install reflectors and increase the height of crash barriers within two weeks.The DC further instructed traffic and police officers to intensify patrolling in vulnerable areas, enforce rules strictly, and raise public awareness about accident-prone zones. He also ordered the formation of a district-level committee to identify black spots across other roads and submit a report with corrective measures within a week. “The administration’s priority is to reduce road accidents and ensure public safety through coordinated efforts,” the DC said.
