Bhopal/Maihar, May 19 (IANS) Three devotees were killed and more than 25 others injured after a speeding truck rammed into a tractor-trolley carrying pilgrims to the Maa Sharda Devi temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred late Monday night in the Amdara police station area. Among the injured is Amdara police station in charge Tikaram Kurmi, along with several women and children, many of whom are in critical condition, said police officials.

The victims belonged to a “Lodhi community” family from the Rithi area of Katni district. All of them had set out on a religious pilgrimage with relatives and acquaintances in a tractor trolley. The group was filled with devotion and excitement as they headed towards the revered temple.

However, their sacred journey turned into a nightmare around 1.30 a.m. near “Surma,” turning within the Amdara police station area. A heavy truck approached at high speed from behind and collided violently with the trolley. The impact was so severe that the trolley was thrown off the road and overturned completely, the police officials said.

The truck driver allegedly did not stop after the first collision. Instead, he attempted to flee the scene and struck the tractor trolley two more times in quick succession. The repeated hits intensified the tragedy, leading to the immediate death of three devotees at the spot, while others suffered serious injuries.

Rescue teams and local police rushed to the location and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care.

The Amdara police registered a case against the absconding truck driver and launched a massive manhunt. Efforts are underway to identify the vehicle using CCTV footage from nearby areas and statements from eyewitnesses.

Police teams have been deployed on various routes to trace and apprehend the driver.

Local residents and pilgrims have expressed deep anguish and demanded stricter enforcement of traffic rules. They have called for enhanced surveillance of heavy trucks, increased patrolling, and installation of more speed control measures on the highway to prevent such incidents in the future.

–IANS

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