Jaipur, June 11 (IANS) A bride among five others lost their lives in a devastating road accident on Wednesday at the Dausa-Manoharpur highway (NH-148) near Bhatkabas village in Jaipur Rural, Rajasthan, while eight others, including the groom, were left injured.

The accident occurred around 6.10 a.m. when a speeding truck collided head-on with a jeep carrying ‘baraatis’ returning from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.

The impact of the collision was so severe that the jeep was shattered, with the bodies of the victims badly trapped inside. It took considerable effort to retrieve them. Among the deceased is 18-year-old bride Bharti, wife of Vikram Meena, a resident of Mandoli in Shahdol district.

The groom, Vikram Meena (25), a native of Udaipurwati in Jhunjhunu district, sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at NIMS Hospital along with other injured baraatis.

According to Raghuveer, Station House Officer of Raisar Police Station, the accident led to a traffic jam and chaos on the highway. Preliminary investigation suggests that overspeeding and negligence caused the fatal collision.

A total of 14-15 people were reportedly travelling in the jeep. While four individuals, including the bride, died on the spot, another succumbed to injuries during treatment at NIMS Hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police Narayan Lal Tiwari confirmed that among the deceased, one person remained unidentified.

The dead included bride Bharti (18), wife of Vikram Meena, resident of Mandoli, Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh), Jeetu (33), son of Hardayal Kumawat, resident of Haspura, Shrimadhopur, Sikar; Subhash (28), son of Maliram Meena, resident of Haspura, Shrimadhopur, Sikar; and Ravi Kumar (17), son of Chhotu Ram Meena, resident of Bugala Gudhagaudji, Jhunjhunu.

The group was returning to Udaipurwati, Jhunjhunu, with the bride after the wedding ceremony in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. Police are recording statements of the injured and have informed their family members.

The post-mortem of the bodies will be conducted upon the arrival of the families. Authorities continue to investigate the accident, emphasising the urgent need to address road safety and speeding issues on national highways.

–IANS

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