Tragedy struck the Ganesh Visarjan celebrations in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, last night when a speeding Bolero crashed into the procession, resulting in three fatalities and 22 injuries. The incident occurred around 10 PM in the Juru Dand village, under the jurisdiction of the Bagicha police station.
A large crowd was accompanying the Ganesh idol for immersion in a local pond when the Bolero suddenly crashed into the procession. Three people died at the scene, and 22 others were injured. The driver of the vehicle was apprehended by the public and beaten, while the other occupants of the car fled.
Three people were confirmed dead: Arvind, aged 19, Vipin Kumar Prajapati, aged 17, and Khirowati Yadav, aged 32. In addition to the fatalities, 22 people were injured, with many in serious condition.
The injured were promptly transported to the community health center for initial medical attention. Doctors provided immediate treatment, and those with severe injuries were later transferred to Ambikapur Medical College. The bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examination.
Jashpur MLA Raymuni Bhagat visited the hospital late at night to meet the families of the injured and pledged full support from the administration. District Collector Rohit Vyas and SSP Shashimohan Singh also arrived at the scene to assess the situation and gather information.
District SP Shashimohan confirmed that the Bolero driver was arrested shortly after the accident and that a thorough investigation is in progress. The authorities are providing medical assistance to the injured and will take stringent action against the responsible parties.