Katni/Seoni, Jan 2 : Eight people, including four children, were killed in two separate road accidents in Madhya Pradesh on the first day of the New Year, police said on Friday.
The accidents occurred in Katni and Seoni districts on Thursday night, claiming the lives of two families travelling on motorcycles.
In the first incident, a pickup truck carrying tomatoes rammed into a motorcycle around 9 pm between Hirapur and Badgaon in the Reethi police station area of Katni district. Four members of the same family were killed, including a two-and-a-half-year-old girl.
Three victims died on the spot, while the fourth succumbed to injuries during treatment at the Reethi Community Health Centre, police said. The deceased were identified as Anu Basor (32), Bharti Basor (2.5), Vinod Basor (30) and Premlal Basor (32), all residents of Bagwar village in Panna district. The family worked as daily wage labourers and was returning from a visit, officials said.
“There were four people on the motorcycle, including a four-year-old girl. The child and two others died on the spot after the collision with a pick-up vehicle,” said Rithi SHO Mohammad Shahid, adding that a fourth person later died during treatment. He said the pickup driver abandoned the vehicle after the crash and fled the scene. A search is underway to trace the absconding driver.
In the second incident, a family of four was killed when their motorcycle crashed into a parked truck around 7–7.30 pm near Riddi Tek on the Jabalpur–Nagpur National Highway under Kurai police station limits in Seoni district.
The deceased were identified as Parmanand Barkade (45), his wife Geeta (38), their daughter Mahi (8) and son Deepanshu (4). The family, residents of Khawasa Tola village, was travelling to Dargadha village to celebrate the New Year.
Barghat Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Lalit Gathre said the truck had been parked on the roadside due to an engine failure and warning indicators had been placed. “Due to darkness and high speed, the bike rider could not see the truck in time,” he said, adding that all four riders died on the spot.
Bodies in both cases were sent for post-mortem examinations, and police have launched investigations to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the accidents.
