Four youths on a birthday celebrations spree hit multiple vehicles, carts, and a police constable in Bhopal before being cornered by three police stations.

A chaotic Saturday night unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s capital as a speeding car driven by heavily intoxicated youths caused widespread panic across several neighbourhoods. The vehicle rampaged through a 12-kilometre stretch, hitting pedestrians, handcarts, and two-wheelers, leaving multiple people injured.

The drama, which lasted for over an hour, finally ended after police teams from three different stations coordinated a high-stakes chase to corner the vehicle.

Midnight Birthday Party Turns Chaotic

According to initial reports, the incident began between 9:00 PM and 9:30 PM on Saturday. A group of youths, identified as Sarva Dubey, Aditya, Tushar Khare, and Sambhav Jaiswal, had gathered in the Bairagarh area to celebrate a birthday.

Sources familiar with the matter said that after consuming alcohol, the group left the venue in a Toyota Hyryder. While Aditya was initially behind the wheel, control of the vehicle was handed over to Sarva Dubey near the railway station. Local authorities confirmed that the driving became highly erratic immediately after the switch.

12-Kilometre Trail of Destruction

What followed was a trail of destruction that spanned across major parts of the city. Moving at a breakneck speed, the car started ramming into everything in its way, starting near Kirti Medical. The vehicle sped through Ashoka Garden, Ayodhya Nagar, Kolar Road, and the Minal residency area.

Eyewitnesses stated that the driver showed no intent of slowing down, knocking over roadside vendors, stationary handcarts, and multiple two-wheelers. "The car was being driven like a weapon. People were jumping off the road to save themselves," a local resident near Ashoka Garden noted.

Police Constable Hit During Rampage

The situation escalated drastically when the speeding vehicle hit a police constable on duty. The injury to the cop immediately triggered a city-wide alert.

Realising the gravity of the situation, control rooms coordinated a joint operation involving personnel from three local police stations. Patrol vehicles began chasing the luxury SUV, trying to block its potential escape routes through the city's arterial roads. After a tense chase covering nearly 12 kilometers, the police successfully boxed in the car near the Minal area.

Angry Crowd Surrounds Vehicle

As soon as the car was forced to a halt, an angry mob of hundreds of locals and commuters surrounded the vehicle. Having witnessed the reckless driving and injuries caused along the route, the crowd attempted to pull the youths out.

The responding police teams had to form a protective ring to rescue the accused from public fury. Local authorities managed to safely detain two of the youths from the spot, while the remaining occupants reportedly fled into the crowd during the commotion.

Investigation Underway Amid Casualties

The exact number of injured citizens is yet to be officially confirmed, though sources indicate the count is high. The victims were rushed to various hospitals across the Ayodhya Nagar and Ashoka Garden sectors for immediate medical attention. As of late Saturday night, no fatalities had been officially reported.

Bajaria Police Station In-charge, Shilpa Gaur, stated that the matter is being treated with utmost seriousness. "The sequence of events points to extreme negligence and endangerment of public life. A detailed investigation is underway, and strict legal action will be taken against all the accused involved," she said.

Bhopal Police has tightened enforcement for pubs and bars, directing all establishments to stop serving liquor by 11.30 pm and shut completely by 12 midnight. The order was issued on Friday during a meeting chaired by Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar at the commissioner’s office in Bhopal.

The directive makes it mandatory for all pub and bar operators to follow the prescribed closing hours without exception. According to officials, any outlet found operating beyond the deadline will face strict action, including cancellation of its licence.

Commissioner issues warning

Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar told pub and bar owners that the administration would not tolerate any violation of government norms. He made it clear that late-night operations beyond the approved time would invite immediate action under licensing and law-and-order provisions.

Officials said the meeting was attended by owners, operators and managers of pubs and bars across the city. The police used the meeting to lay down compliance rules and warn businesses against negligence.

Monitoring system planned

To tighten surveillance, Bhopal Police is preparing a digital monitoring mechanism on the lines of Indore. Officials said a Zoom-based monitoring system will be introduced to track whether pubs and bars close on time every night.

Under the proposed system, all operators will be added to a digital group and asked to upload photographs of their premises after closure by 12 midnight. These images will be reviewed by police to verify compliance and issue instructions where needed. The monitoring process will be handled through the police control room, officials said.

CCTV compliance mandatory

The police have also made CCTV installation compulsory for all pubs and bars. Operators have been told to ensure regular monitoring of camera feeds and maintain functional surveillance systems at all times.

Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening oversight, improving accountability and preventing disturbances in and around nightlife zones. Pub and bar operators have also been directed to maintain adequate lighting and basic security arrangements at their premises.

Focus on law and order

The latest order comes amid growing administrative focus on nightlife regulation and urban policing in Bhopal. Police officials said the tighter rules are intended to prevent disorder, avoid late-night violations and improve response in case of any untoward incident.

According to officials, the city police want stronger coordination with hospitality operators to maintain public order and ensure establishments function within legal limits.

Indore model adopted

The Bhopal Police decision follows a similar enforcement pattern already seen in Indore, where authorities have used digital monitoring to keep tabs on late-night commercial activity. Sources indicated the Bhopal model will mirror that system, with real-time reporting and centralised review.

Officials believe digital compliance checks will reduce manual monitoring gaps and improve enforcement consistency across the city.

What happens next

With the new rules now in force, Bhopal pubs and bars are expected to align operations with the revised timeline immediately. Police will begin monitoring compliance through field checks and digital reporting in the coming days.

A shocking gang war gripped Bhopal in the early hours of Saturday, March 14, as armed criminals first shot a young man in Ashoka Garden and then followed him all the way into the emergency ward of Hamidia Hospital — firing again inside the hospital premises in full view of patients and attendants.

The Attack Begins at 4:45 AM

The violence began around 4:45 in the morning when Imran Rais, son of local history sheeter Lallu Rais, had stepped out to offer namaz at a mosque near Tiranga Crossing. A group of five armed men — identified as Shadab Gate, Sajib Gate, Shahwar Maulana, Guddu Station, and Anas — waylaid him on his way back.

The attackers chased Imran back to his home in Ashoka Garden and opened fire, hitting him in the leg. Approximately five rounds were fired outside his residence. CCTV cameras in the area captured two of the attackers carrying firearms. Police from Ashoka Garden police station reached the spot, but the assailants had already fled. Empty shells and two live rounds were recovered from the scene.

Criminals Enter Hospital, Fire Inside Emergency Ward

After Imran was rushed to Hamidia Hospital for emergency treatment, the attackers were not done. Shadab Gate and Sajib followed the injured man straight into the hospital's emergency ward, targeting Lallu Rais who had accompanied his son.

A bullet struck a glass window and a wall inside the ward, narrowly missing both Lallu Rais and a security guard stationed nearby. The sudden firing inside a hospital emergency ward sent patients, attendants, and medical staff into a state of complete panic.

Police Response and Investigation

Senior police officer ACP Anil Vajpai confirmed that two separate cases have been registered — one at Ashoka Garden police station and one at Koh-e-Fiza police station. Armed police personnel have been deployed inside the hospital ward as a precautionary measure. CCTV footage from within the hospital and surrounding areas is currently under examination to identify and trace the accused.

A Two-Year-Old Feud Behind the Attack

Lallu Rais stated that this attack was carried out as revenge for a feud dating back to 2024. Two years ago, his son Imran had allegedly attacked Shadab Gate's brother in a separate incident, severing his fingers. Saturday's shooting is being treated as a direct retaliation for that earlier attack.

Hospital Security Under the Spotlight Again

The brazen firing inside Hamidia Hospital has once again raised serious questions about security arrangements at one of Madhya Pradesh's largest and most overcrowded government hospitals. The hospital, which serves not only Bhopal but thousands of patients from surrounding districts, has long faced concerns over inadequate CCTV coverage and insufficient security personnel at entry points and wards.

With 400 CCTV cameras yet to be fully installed across the broader hospital campus as previously flagged by doctors' associations, Saturday's incident has added fresh urgency to demands for a complete overhaul of the hospital's security infrastructure.