Six killed, 11 injured as truck rams stationary vehicle in Chhattisgarh

September 25, 2026

Raipur/Balod (Chhattisgarh): Six people were killed and 11 others injured in a road accident at Markatola Ghat on National Highway-30 in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district on Friday, officials said.

The incident occurred around noon in the Purur police station area when a wheat-laden 16-wheeler truck rammed into a stationary mini goods vehicle.

According to police, the stationary vehicle was carrying members of a ‘Dhumal’ music troupe from Kawardha (Kabirdham) to Jagdalpur. It had broken down near Markatola Ghat and was parked on the roadside. Some occupants had left the spot to find a mechanic when the truck, heading from Raipur towards Jagdalpur, struck the stationary vehicle with force, dragging it about 50 metres before overturning.

The impact was so severe that eyewitnesses reported that the bodies of the deceased and injured were buried under sacks of wheat.

Rescue operations began immediately amid heavy rain. Teams from two police stations, assisted by local residents, removed wheat sacks and debris to extricate the victims.

The injured were rushed by ambulance to Dhamtari District Hospital.

Balod’s Additional Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Govarna said two persons died on the spot while four others succumbed during treatment.

Of the 11 injured, seven in critical condition were referred to Raipur for advanced care.

The deceased were residents of Kawardha.

The truck driver fled the scene after the accident, and police are searching for him.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep grief over the tragedy. In a post on X, he wrote: “The news of the untimely demise of many people in the horrific road accident at Markatola Ghat in Balod district is extremely saddening. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this heartbreaking incident. I pray for the peace of the departed souls and the speedy recovery of the injured. Necessary instructions have been issued to the authorities to ensure proper treatment of the injured. The Chhattisgarh government stands with the affected families in this hour of grief.”

Police have registered a case and begun investigation into the cause of the accident. Post-mortem examinations of the deceased were underway. The injured remain under treatment, with some still in a state of shock and, as a result, their identities could not be ascertained immediately.