In a tragic incident, at least eight people were killed and 13 others sustained injuries in a collision between a truck and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district in the wee hours of Monday. As per the police, the incident took place at around 2.30 am near Upni petrol pump on Sidhi-Bahri Road
Speaking to the media, Deputy Superintendent of Police Gayatri Tiwari said that vehicles collided head-on when the SUV carrying members of a family was going towards Maihar, while the truck was heading to Bahri from Sidhi. "Eight persons travelling in the SUV were killed, and 13 other occupants were injured in the accident. Nine injured persons were referred to the neighbouring Rewa for further treatment, and the others were being treated at the Sidhi district hospital, she added.
Out of the 14 injured, nine were referred to Rewa for further treatment, where one of the seriously injured persons succumbed, Sidhi's Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravindra Verma told PTI. The others were undergoing treated at the Sidhi district hospital. The truck driver was detained, Tiwari said.
Verma said the SUV occupants were going to Maihar for the 'mundan' (tonsuring) ceremony of a child when the accident occurred. Prima facie, it seems the SUV was approaching from the wrong direction which led to the collision, he said. A team led by an additional superintendent of police has been constituted which will conduct a probe into the accident from all angles, the SP said.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident. "Instructions have been given to approve a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each from the chief minister's discretionary fund to the families of those who died in the road accident, Rs 1 lakh each to the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 each to other injured persons," the CM said in a statement.
