Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh): A pickup driver was burnt alive after a truck and pickup collided head-on on the Delhi-Mumbai eight-lane expressway near Thandla in Jhabua district late Friday night.
Both vehicles caught fire shortly after the collision, leaving the pickup driver trapped inside.
According to police, the accident occurred at 11.50 pm when a truck travelling on the expressway collided with the oncoming pickup.
The flames spread rapidly, giving the pickup driver no opportunity to escape. The deceased was identified as 30-year-old Teru Khima Bhabar, a resident of Miyati.
Thandla police station in-charge Dali Giri said the truck was registered in Nagaland. The truck driver reportedly abandoned the vehicle and fled from the spot after the accident. Police reached the site, brought the situation under control and restored traffic movement.
Teru had reportedly taken the pickup from a distant relative, saying he needed to take his mother for medical treatment. Police said he was known to consume alcohol, and his condition at the time of the accident is also being examined as part of the investigation.
Locals raised concerns over the narrow approach road to the expressway, claiming it creates difficulties for vehicles and increases accident risks.
Police registered a case of accidental death and started an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Villagers block Thandla-Kushalgarh road
Villagers staged a road blockade on the Thandla-Kushalgarh route on Saturday following the death of a youth in Friday night’s Eicher-pickup collision. Traffic was halted, causing long queues of vehicles on both sides.
Thandla SDM Bhaskar Gachale reached the spot and held discussions with villagers. The administration assured them of necessary action and appealed to them to end the blockade.
