A devastating road accident on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border highway has left a family shattered and the local community seething with anger.
In a horrific incident that unfolded on Sunday evening, a speeding truck slammed into a bike carrying five family members, dragging the two-wheeler for nearly three kilometres before coming to a stop. Three people were killed on the spot.
The victims have been identified as Babulal Gond (40) from Hirri village under Raighar block, along with his middle son Pradeep Gond (8) and youngest son Tushar Gond (3). Babulal’s wife, Sulanbai Gond, and their eldest son, Umesh Gond, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a community health centre at Hatbharandi before being shifted to Umerkote for advanced treatment.
According to eyewitnesses and police, the family had spent the day in Hirri village visiting Babulal’s younger brother. They were returning towards their home in Chhattisgarh on a single motorcycle when tragedy struck near the Keradihi Adivasi Chowk on the State Highway-40.
The impact was so severe that parts of the victims’ bodies were scattered along the road for nearly three kilometres. The truck, bearing the registration CG 04 MW 1502, was finally stopped by alert villagers at Hatabharandi, around 3 km from the accident spot. The driver was apprehended while trying to flee and has been handed over to the police.
Grief Turns into Protest
As news of the accident spread, grieving villagers placed the bodies on the road and blocked the crucial inter-state highway, demanding immediate compensation and action against the authorities for repeated negligence. Tension ran high at the spot, with locals accusing heavy vehicles of reckless driving in the tribal-dominated region.
Police officials, including Kundei Police Station Officer-in-Charge Pradeep Kumar Sahu, rushed to the spot along with forces from Raighar police station. The bodies were later shifted for post-mortem as the blockade continued late into the night.
This is not the first such tragedy on this stretch. Residents claim that speeding trucks and heavy vehicles have previously caused multiple accidents, claiming the lives of both people and livestock. The repeated incidents have raised serious questions about road safety measures in this sensitive border area.
The tragic loss of a man and his two innocent children has sent shockwaves across the district. As the injured mother and son fight for their lives in hospital, the entire community mourns a family torn apart in seconds.
Authorities have assured a thorough investigation and strict action against the erring driver. However, for the Gond family, no compensation or promise can bring back the three lives lost on a fateful Sunday evening.
Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.
