Deadly Highway Collision Exposes Safety Lapses on Gumla–Ranchi Road

Brief By Newsbrief / 6:21 PM on 16 Jan 2026

A tragic road accident on the Gumla–Ranchi main highway claimed five lives and left three others critically injured on Thursday morning, highlighting serious concerns over road safety and illegal sand transportation. The incident occurred near Bhadgaon in the Bharno police station area when a speeding Hyva truck, returning after unloading sand, rammed a Tata Magic from behind.

The Tata Magic was carrying eight passengers travelling from Ranchi’s Dhurwa area to Nagfeni in Gumla. According to police, the group had briefly halted along the route to gather information about local fairs when the truck struck with tremendous force. Three passengers died on the spot, while two others succumbed to injuries during treatment.

The deceased have been identified as Ashish Manjhi of Gaya, Bajrang Kumar of Dhurwa, Sanjay Kumar Bhuiyan of Hazaribagh, Baleshwar Sao of Dhurwa, and Sunil Kumar Sao of Hazaribagh. The injured, including the driver, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ranchi.

Bharno police seized the Hyva, though its driver fled. An investigation is underway.

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