A judicial magistrate first class (JMIC) posted in Pathankot was killed, while his friend, a lawyer from Amritsar, was injured when the Toyota Innova SUV they were travelling in crashed into a roadside pole in Chandigarh around 2am on Friday.

Police said Sahil Singla, 28, a native of Sangrur, had come to Chandigarh to attend a wedding with his wife and friends. They were staying at the Judicial Academy in Sector 43 and were on way to the Night Food Street near Panjab University when the accident occurred.

Singla’s wife Radhika is also a judicial officer and is currently in training at the judicial academy. Singla’s friend, Pahulpreet Singh, 32, who is an advocate at Amritsar, was sitting besides Singla, while his wife was following them in another car at the time of the mishap on the road dividing Sectors 16 and 23.

Singla and Singh were rushed to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH) in Sector 16 by Radhika. He was referred to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) where he succumbed to his injuries. Police officials privy to the matter said the impact on the vehicle suggested that the vehicle was speeding. Pahulpreet was taken to Fortis Hospital, Mohali, where his condition is said to be critical.

Police said no case has been registered yet as the investigations are on. Police handed over the body to the family after the inquest proceedings. A forensic team visited the spot on Friday morning.

Although posted in Pathankot, Singla studied law at Panjab University in 2011-14. His wife Radhika and friend Pahulpreet were also from the same batch. Singla married Radhika in 2017 and they didn’t have any children. Singla was from a business family and the only child.

UT senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nilambari Jagdale said they were yet to receive the postmortem report.

Meanwhile, advocates at Pathankot session court observed silence and suspended the work for the day as a mark of respect for the departed soul.