A fatal collision between a Bolero and a container truck on National Highway-43 in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district claimed four lives and left seven others critically injured on Wednesday, casting a grim shadow on Mahashivratri celebrations.
The accident that occurred near Vishnupur village around 12:30 pm involved devotees returning from a Shiva temple. The tragedy turned a day of religious observance into one of mourning.
The Bolero (CG 15 ED 7078), carrying 11 passengers from Revapur-Sakhauli, had visited the Kilkila Shiva Temple in Sitapur for Mahashivratri prayers. On its way back home, the vehicle collided with a container truck at a notorious accident-prone “black spot” causing the Bolero to overturn and sustain severe damage.
Among the deceased are a woman, a child, and two men from the same family.
Locals rushed to extricate the survivors trapped in the mangled remains of the vehicle before an ambulance transported the injured, including the truck driver, to the Sitapur Community Health Centre (CHC).
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed profound grief over the incident. “My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the departed souls and urge swift medical care for the injured,” he wrote in a post on X.
Enraged bystanders set the container truck ablaze alleging negligence. However, the police swiftly contained the fire. Authorities confirmed the truck driver sustained injuries, ruling out a hit-and-run scenario.
The accident site, long flagged for safety risks, has reignited demands for urgent infrastructural upgrades. “This tragedy underscores the need to address black spots on highways,” a local activist remarked. Surguja Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause, focusing on road conditions and driver accountability.