3 Killed in Terrible Road Accident on Chittorgarh Highway, Thar Driver Flees After Collision
Chittorgarh: A horrific road accident occurred late Friday night on National Highway 56 near Nimbahera, Rajasthan. Three people, including a husband-wife duo from Madhya Pradesh, were killed after their van got crushed between a stationary pickup truck and a speeding Thar SUV. One person was severely injured in the collision.
According to police, the accident happened around 11 pm near Vasundhara Multi on NH-56. A pickup truck had broken down on the roadside, and its driver was trying to repair it when tragedy struck. A van coming from Chittorgarh collided with the parked pickup, shortly after which a high-speed Thar rammed into the van from behind, leaving it completely mangled between the two vehicles.
Van Crushed Between Pickup and Thar
The impact was so severe that the van was reduced to a heap of metal. Inside the van were Lakhan Malu (40) and his wife Sarita Malu (36), residents of Sarwaniya Maharaj in Neemuch district, Madhya Pradesh. The couple, who ran a private school in their hometown, were returning home after attending a wedding in Chittorgarh. Both died on the spot due to the force of the collision.
The pickup driver, identified as Basanti Lal Prajapat (35) of Bhunya Khedi village in Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh, also lost his life. Another person, Hastimal Pamecha, who was in the pickup at the time, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Chittorgarh for advanced treatment.
Police Launch Search for Thar Driver
After the accident, the Thar driver abandoned the vehicle at the scene and fled under cover of darkness. Acting swiftly, police teams from Sadar Police Station reached the site, removed the wreckage, and cleared the road to restore traffic flow on NH-56.
Sadar SHO Sanjay Sharma confirmed that three people had died in the mishap and one was seriously injured. He said that the police have seized the Thar vehicle and begun efforts to trace the absconding driver.
“The condition of the van shows how powerful the impact was. It appears the Thar was speeding when it hit the van,” said SHO Sharma.
Families in Mourning
The tragic accident has cast a pall of grief over Sarwaniya Maharaj and Bhunya Khedi villages. Relatives and residents described the deceased couple as dedicated educators who had built their school from scratch to provide quality education to rural children. Police have informed the families, and post-mortem examinations are being conducted.
Local authorities have urged drivers to maintain speed limits, especially during night hours on highways where visibility is reduced.
