Chhattisgarh road mishap: 18 women among 19 killed

The pick-up van meant for goods transportation was carrying 35 people against a capacity of  10-12 people, along with around 20 sacks of tendu leaves, police said.

The vehicle was passing through the Banjari ghat (valley). “While coming down the valley on the serpentine road, the van’s brakes failed and the driver screamed asking people to jump off. While all the males and driver jumped off, most of the women who were sitting on the sacks could not jump off in time and the van fell off the valley. They fell around 35 feet down onto a road,” said Kabirdham SP Abhishek Pallava.

“They were using the van for the past few days to travel a distance of around 25 kilometres. They were barely saving Rs 50 by not hiring two vehicles,” added Pallava.

A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder will be lodged against the vehicle’s owner and the driver, police said.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi,  and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed their condolences on X.

Chief Minister Sai announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

“The road accident that occurred in Kawardha, Chhattisgarh, is very painful. My condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this accident. I wish speedy recovery of the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help to the victims,” Modi said in a post on X.