Khajuraho: Five people were killed after their car collided head-on with a heavily loaded truck on the road connecting Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) and Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) on Saturday.
The incident took place in Mungawari village under Gulganj police station limits in Chhatarpur district. The impact was so severe that five of the eight passengers died on the spot, while three critically injured were rushed to Chhatarpur district hospital.
Family Returning From Marriage; Victims Identified
The occupants, all residents of Chhatarpur, were returning from a marriage ceremony when their car crashed into a truck coming from the opposite direction between 3.30 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Gulganj SHO Guru Dutt Sesha said the car was travelling towards Chhatarpur from Sagar when the accident occurred.
The deceased were identified as Mahendra Prajapati (30), Lakshman Prajapati (40), Deepak Prajapati (24), Surendra Prajapati (26) and Lalu Prajapati (17).
The injured — Bhupendra Prajapati and Jitendra Prajapati — were first treated at Chhatarpur district hospital and later referred to Birla Hospital in Satna.
Driver Detained; Case Registered
Police said the car was completely crushed and locals helped rescue the injured. The truck driver, who initially fled the scene, was later detained after a search in the nearby jungle.
“Victims belonged to the same family and were returning from a marriage function. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway,” the SHO said.
Last month, four people died in a similar head-on crash on the Bhopal–Vidisha highway, prompting authorities to warn motorists to exercise caution on rural routes.