Maihar (Madhya Pradesh), July 7 (IANS) At least five people were killed and one sustained critical injuries after a speeding SUV rammed into the rear of a truck on National Highway 30 in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

The accident occurred around 2 a.m. near Rigra village under the Nadan Dehat police station limits when the Mahindra XUV700, carrying six young men, crashed into a truck moving ahead of it.

The impact was so severe that the SUV was completely mangled, trapping all the occupants inside.

Police said Dial-112 teams, highway patrol personnel and local police rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Five occupants were found dead, while one was pulled out with serious injuries and rushed to the Civil Hospital in Amarpatan.

After first aid, he was referred to the District Hospital in Satna, where he is undergoing treatment.

The deceased were identified as Ankur Patel (40), Mridul Patel (32), Vijay Patel (30), Harishankar Patel (25) and Shiva Patel (23). Four of them were residents of Tanaja village in Maihar district, while Shiva Patel hailed from Narora village.

The injured person has been identified as Om Patel.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the group was returning after attending the birthday celebration of Manoj Patel, Vice-President of the Amarpatan Janpad Panchayat.

Police said all those who died belonged to the families of former Independent MLA Lalji Bhai Patel and late Congress MLA Mathura Patel. Police suspect overspeeding and the driver losing control of the SUV to be the primary reasons behind the crash, though the exact cause will be established after investigation.

The SHO of the local area police (Nadan Dehat), Panchraj Singh, said, “Five people died in the accident, while one youth sustained serious injuries and has been sent to the hospital for treatment. A case has been registered, and an investigation into the cause of the accident has been initiated.”

The bodies were sent to the Maihar Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination. Traffic on the highway was briefly affected before being restored.

–IANS

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