Bhopal, March 8 – A 36-year-old man was killed, while his wife and six-year-old son were seriously injured in Betul district, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday.
The incident occurred near the Jhi Tapa junction on the busy Betul-Nagpur National Highway.
According to police officials, a speeding container truck suddenly lost control, crashed through the road divider, and veered onto the opposite lane.
The vehicle collided head-on with a motorcycle carrying Vikas Rao (36), a resident of Narmadapuram (also known as Hoshangabad), his wife, and their young son.
The family was traveling from their home to the village of Mo Harkheda to attend a thirteenth-day ceremony (terahvin) at the house of an acquaintance – a traditional ritual observed in many Indian families to mark mourning and remembrance after a death.
The journey turned deadly due to the truck driver's apparent negligence and excessive speed.
Police officials said the container truck was moving at high speed when it failed to negotiate a section of the highway, causing it to break the median and enter oncoming traffic. The impact was devastating; Rao suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene.
Rao's wife and son sustained multiple fractures, internal injuries, and trauma. They were rushed to a nearby hospital in Betul, where they are undergoing treatment.
Doctors described their condition as stable but critical, with the child requiring intensive care. Police from the local station arrived promptly, securing the site and initiating an investigation.
The container truck driver fled the scene immediately after the crash, prompting authorities to launch a search.
The vehicle has been impounded, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for reckless driving, causing death by negligence, and hit-and-run.
Preliminary inquiries suggest overspeeding and possible fatigue or distraction as contributing factors.
Authorities have assured a thorough investigation, including examination of the truck's fitness certificate and the driver's records.