Maihar (Madhya Pradesh), April 11 – At least 15 people were injured in a road accident on National Highway 30 near the Rigra Bridge in the temple town of Maihar on Saturday morning, officials said.
The accident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Nadan Police Station when a speeding trailer violently collided with the rear of a stationary tractor-trolley parked on the roadside after it reportedly ran out of fuel (diesel).
Public anger erupted over the delayed response from local police. Panch Raj Singh, the in-charge of the Nadan Police Station, reportedly reached the accident site more than two hours after receiving information, sparking resentment among the affected families and onlookers.
All the injured were residents of Beldara village and were returning from a 'Barho' ceremony when the tragedy struck.
The impact was so severe that several of the occupants were thrown from the vehicle after the crash. The tractor-trolley was carrying several people at the time of the accident.
Following the collision, chaos erupted at the scene, leading to a major traffic jam on the busy NH-30. Emergency services were mobilized after people created a commotion, and personnel from the Highway Patrolling Team rushed the injured to nearby medical facilities.
Most of the victims were taken to Civil Hospitals in Maihar and Amarpatan, while two critically injured persons were referred to the District Hospital in Satna for advanced treatment, police officials said.
The injured admitted to Amarpatan Civil Hospital include Sankhibai Saket (50), Ajay Bunkar (17), Pradeep Saket (24), and Santosh Saket (50). Several others are undergoing treatment at the Maihar hospital, they said.
Separately, some relatives of patients admitted to Amarpatan Civil Hospital created a major commotion after an ambulance (108) failed to arrive for several hours.
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the exact cause, including the role of speeding and the parked vehicle on the highway.
Police have registered a case and are questioning the trailer driver after taking him into custody.