Datia (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district witnessed 3 accidents on Thursday, claiming the life of one person and injuring as many as 28 people.
The victims were devotees returning home after visiting the famous Ratanagarh Mata Temple fair.
According to information, all 3 accidents were caused by speeding and overloading, despite the district administration’s instructions to prevent such violations.
Eyewitnesses said overloaded tractor-trolleys and pickup vehicles were seen passing through police checkpoints, but no action was taken.
First incident
In the first incident, a tractor-trolley carrying around 30 devotees from Pipariya village near Mahoba overturned on the Datia-Sendhwa road near Dhirpura.
The group had gone to the temple to fulfil a vow after a 17-year-old boy from the family was bitten by a snake 8 months ago.
The accident occurred around 8 am when a pickup vehicle coming from the opposite direction swerved close to the tractor.
As the driver tried to avoid hitting a dog on the road, the trolley lost balance and overturned, injuring 10 people. The injured were rushed to Indergarh Civil Hospital and Datia District Hospital.
Second incident
The second accident occurred near Murari village in Jhansi district. Devotees returning from the temple were travelling in a pickup vehicle when 4 of them, sitting at the back due to lack of space, fell off after a sudden jerk.
One of them, 50-year-old Raghubir Jha, died on the spot, while three others - Ganesh Vanshkar, Surendra Raikwar, and Lakhan Vanshkar - were injured and taken to the district hospital.
Third incident
In the third incident, an auto-rickshaw carrying devotees overturned near Senthri village, injuring 7 people, including Ghanshyam Yadav, Rekha Yadav and Triveni Yadav.
Three of them were critically injured and referred to another hospital.
Eyewitnesses claimed that no police or ambulance reached the spot for nearly an hour, forcing locals to take the injured to the hospital in private vehicles.
Authorities are investigating the accidents and reviewing enforcement lapses related to overloading and traffic monitoring.
