6 critical as overloaded e-rick overturns after collision in Kichha

Rudrapur: Eleven people were injured, six of them critically, after an overloaded e-rickshaw carrying women labourers overturned following a head-on collision with a motorcycle near the City Palace cut on Bareilly Bypass in Kichha on Friday evening.Police said the e-rickshaw was ferrying 11 women from Shergarh to a factory in Kichha where they worked as daily wagers. At the same time, Ansh Singh was riding towards Naveen Mandi with his mother Santosh seated pillion. As both vehicles entered the busy service lane intersection from different directions, they collided.The impact caused the e-rickshaw to overturn, trapping several women underneath, while the motorcycle skidded across the road. Bystanders rushed to rescue the injured and alerted police and ambulance services. The victims were taken to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Community Health Centre in Kichha.Doctors referred Nanhni Devi (45), Shivani (daughter of Kallu), Shivani (18, daughter of Mahendra), Asha Devi, Ansh and Santosh to a higher medical facility due to their critical condition. Others, including Balmati, Lakshmi, Nisha, Sanno and Kirti, all residents of Shergarh, are undergoing treatment.Darau outpost in-charge sub-inspector Pawan Joshi said preliminary investigation suggests the e-rickshaw was overloaded. "Legal action has been initiated, and the vehicle has been seized," he said, adding that the driver fled the scene and efforts are underway to trace him.