An aging three axle lattice truck crane crashed into a number of people at a busy intersection in Indore, central India yesterday killing four of them and seriously injuring a fifth.
Of the four fatalities, three were children aged six, 13 and 16, along with a man 56, while the mother of the six and 16 year old is very seriously injured and remains in hospital.
Police have indicated that poor maintenance is likely to have been the cause of the incident. The crane operator was booked on the spot with culpable homicide and held on remand, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Officials from the regional transport office and public works department have inspected the crane and stated that the tyres were completely worn out and that the brakes, while working, were far from being fully effective.
The initial conclusion was the crane was driving down an incline from a bridge, when it picked up speed and the driver lost control, due to the substandard brakes and bald underinflated tyres. “It slammed into five persons on two bikes crushing them against a parked bus.”
According to the police the crane is owned by Surendra Shukla and has insurance and road worthiness certificates that are valid through next year.
Looking a a number of video clips and news reports, it is hard to understand how anyone thought that this crane was roadworthy. As usual the operator is charged and imprisoned. Sadly, incidents such as this are not at all rare in India, although they usually involve aging tractor cranes. And nothing changes.
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