A 56-year-old Hyderabad businessman died after an overloaded goods van carrying steel pipes overturned during a U-turn in Balanagar on Thursday afternoon, sending the load onto his scooter, police said. The van driver has been taken into custody and a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against the driver, vehicle owner and the person who booked the load.
The deceased was identified as Prakash Pawar, a resident of Shapur. He was travelling from Shapur to his gold-smelting shop in Ameerpet when the accident occurred beneath the Balanagar flyover at about 3.30 pm, according to the report by Times of India – Hyderabad.
Balanagar ACP P Naresh Reddy said the goods carrier was taking a U-turn ahead of Pawar when it overturned because of the heavy load. The steel pipes fell onto the scooter, trapping Pawar beneath the material. He died at the spot, police said.
Local residents alerted the police after the crash. Balanagar law and order personnel and traffic police reached the location, removed the body and shifted it to a morgue in an ambulance. A crane was used to lift the steel rods and clear the overturned vehicle, after which the van was taken to the police station.
Police said the crash did not create a significant traffic disruption because the road had adequate width at the location. The immediate traffic response focused on removing the steel pipes and vehicle from the carriageway while investigators proceeded with the case.
Kukatpally additional DCP M Sudarshan said a case was registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the van driver, owner and the person who had booked the load. The provision concerns culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police said the case was filed over the alleged overloading of the vehicle and the resulting death.
The driver remains in custody as the investigation continues. The report did not provide details of the vehicle’s permitted carrying capacity, the quantity of steel pipes loaded or any further enforcement action against the owner and load-booking party.
