Gurugram: New footage from the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway has cast a harrowing light on the fatal crash that claimed the lives of Lachhi Ram, 42, and his wife Kusum Lata, 38. The CCTV evidence shows the couple’s car was hit not once but twice by speeding vehicles that fled the scene, leaving the pair trapped and bleeding inside their mangled Wagon-R for nearly eight hours on the side of the carriageway near Nuh.

Investigators said the initial collision occurred late Tuesday night when a multi-axle dumper truck, transporting stones, collided with the Wagon-R, shoving it into the extreme-left lane. The impact, which deployed the airbags, crushed the doors, preventing the couple from exiting. The truck did not stop. Twenty-two minutes later, a white Maruti Ertiga struck the car again, pushing it violently forward before reversing and fleeing the scene. Both drivers left without offering any aid.

The footage paints a grim picture: hundreds of vehicles passed the wreck through the night, with the couple apparently still alive but immobilized. It was only at 7.38 am, nearly eight hours after the first crash, that villagers spotted the car and alerted authorities.

Family members have expressed outrage and grief, questioning how such a tragedy could unfold on a major expressway under the supervision of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and local police. “How can a mangled car with two dying people lie on a major expressway all night and no one sees it?” asked Nahar Singh, Ram’s maternal uncle. He accused both highway patrols and police of negligence, stating that NHAI patrol vehicles were supposed to monitor the stretch every hour. “Either they were negligent, or patrols exist only on paper,” he said.

Devi Singh, Ram’s father, broke down repeatedly as he spoke from the family’s village, Kot Purine Pura in Karauli district. “This is not how they should have died. Even if they were injured, we could have taken care of them. But to die waiting for help that never came – how can the authorities be so irresponsible?” he said. He recounted repeatedly trying to call his son and daughter-in-law’s phones through the night, only to get no response until the next morning.

According to police sources, the Wagon-R was traveling in the third lane toward Delhi around midnight when a speeding vehicle cut across from the left. In a desperate maneuver, Ram swerved into the extreme-left lane, colliding with the multi-axle dumper. The impact trapped both occupants inside. “They survived the initial crash but were injured,” said a senior Nuh police officer who requested anonymity. “They could not exit the vehicle because the door was crushed from the front.”

The subsequent collision by the Maruti Ertiga compounded the tragedy. The vehicle hit the trapped car at 12.14 am, further injuring the couple, before fleeing the scene. Police confirmed that the Ertiga’s trajectory, captured on NHAI cameras, will allow them to trace the driver and hold them accountable.

The delay in rescue and response has sparked anger among family members. Ram’s cousin, Deepak Singh, said, “My sister-in-law had no visible injuries. She might have survived if help had arrived in time. Ram had severe head injuries and broken legs, but even then, timely aid could have made a difference.”

Authorities have promised action. Nuh deputy commissioner Akhil Pilani stated, “It will not be appropriate if I comment on the matter without reviewing details. However, stern action will be taken if negligence is found.” P.K. Kaushik, NHAI project director (Sohna), confirmed that show-cause notices had been served to both the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor, and the NHAI-appointed authority engineer responsible for supervision and patrols along the expressway. “This is a severe lapse in monitoring and supervision. This should not have happened at all,” Kaushik said.

Beyond the procedural failures, the human tragedy is stark. The couple leave behind four children: Gauri, 17; Khusbu, 15; Vivek, 13; and Manish, 11. Lachhi Ram had migrated to Delhi’s Budh Vihar over a decade ago and worked his way from a daily-wage laborer to a building contractor, determined to provide a better future for his family. Gauri, the eldest, had recently begun UPSC coaching, inspired by her father’s ambitions for her. “He wanted her to become an IAS officer,” Deepak Singh said. “He had broken the cycle of poverty. Now, in one night, everything has fallen apart.”

The Nuh Expressway incident has drawn attention to systemic lapses in highway monitoring and emergency response. Investigators are examining why patrols failed to detect the wreck and why nearby motorists did not stop to assist. CCTV footage and toll plaza records are expected to help identify the drivers involved in the second collision, potentially leading to criminal charges for hit-and-run and negligence.

Meanwhile, the tragedy has provoked public outrage, highlighting concerns about safety on major expressways and the responsibility of authorities to provide timely assistance to accident victims. For Lachhi Ram and Kusum Lata, the crash represents not only a personal loss but also a cautionary tale about accountability and the gaps in India’s road safety and emergency response systems.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring that the drivers responsible are brought to justice, and that highway authorities reassess monitoring mechanisms to prevent such avoidable deaths in the future. The story of Lachhi Ram and Kusum Lata, and the long hours they spent trapped on the expressway, has become a somber reminder of the fragility of life on India’s high-speed roads.