Police identified the accused as Dipendra Bhadoria, Municipal Mandal President of the BJP Yuva Morcha. According to eyewitnesses, Bhadoria was driving from Porsa towards Jotai at high speed when he lost control of the vehicle and hit five people warming themselves near a bonfire. The car subsequently collided with another vehicle.
Two of the injured — Ramdatta Rathore (65) and Arnav alias Annu Laskar (11) — were referred to Gwalior in critical condition and died during treatment late Friday night. Their bodies were sent for post-mortem and are to be brought back to Porsa for last rites on Saturday. The other injured — Kamlesh Rathore, Girraj Rathore and Abhishek Tomar — are undergoing treatment and are reported to be stable.
Locals alleged that the accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Enraged residents caught hold of Bhadoria, assaulted him and handed him over to the police. However, within a short time, he reportedly escaped, leading to fresh anger among residents.
Protesters blocked the highway for nearly 20 minutes, accusing the police of negligence and demanding immediate arrest of the accused and action against responsible officers. Traffic was restored after SDOP Ravi Bhadoria reached the spot and assured strict action and an early arrest.
Police said teams have been deployed to trace the absconding accused and a manhunt is underway. Officials also said the circumstances of the escape from custody are being examined. The incident has intensified demands for accountability amid allegations of political influence and police lapses.
