Gondia: A tragic road accident took place late Monday night on the Gondia-Balaghat State Highway near Nagara, leaving six people dead and seven others seriously injured. A three-year-old child is also among those who lost their lives in the accident.
According to preliminary information, labourers from villages in the Kirnapur and Lanji tehsil areas of Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, were travelling with their families to Hyderabad in search of work. They were travelling in a Bolero vehicle bearing registration number MP-15 T 3495.
At around 11:30 pm, the Bolero reached the Nagara area, nearly five kilometres from Gondia city. At the same time, a truck bearing registration number MH-35 AJ-2547, reportedly travelling at high speed from the Balaghat side towards Gondia, collided head-on with the Bolero.
The impact was so severe that the Bolero was badly damaged, trapping several passengers inside the vehicle. Hearing the sound of the collision, local residents and passing motorists rushed to the spot and informed the police.
The Gondia Rural Police team immediately reached the accident site and launched a rescue operation. Due to the severity of the crash, a gas cutter was reportedly used to remove the victims from the wreckage.
The injured and deceased were subsequently shifted to the district hospital in Gondia. Doctors declared six people dead, while seven injured passengers were admitted for treatment. The condition of some of the injured is reported to be serious.
Based on the statement of injured passenger Rajendra Shivcharan Pandhare, Gondia Rural Police registered a case against truck driver Mohsin Khan, 32, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act.
The police have begun further investigation into the accident and are examining the circumstances that led to the fatal collision.
A journey that began with hopes of earning a livelihood ended in tragedy, leaving several families devastated. The incident has once again raised concerns over road safety and the need for cautious driving on highways, especially during late-night hours.