Six friends were killed after a speeding truck ran them over while they were standing by the roadside on the Jabalpur-Bhopal National Highway-45 in Madhya Pradesh's Narsinghpur district, police said on Monday. The victims were returning after visiting Hathinala Waterfall on the Narsinghpur-Jabalpur border when the accident took place near Indira Nagar under the Suatla police station limits on Sunday evening.
According to police, the six friends had stopped by the roadside at around 6 p.m. to take selfies when the speeding truck hit them and fled the scene. Four of the victims died on the spot, while the remaining two succumbed to their injuries during treatment later in the night.
The deceased were identified as Rajendra Patel, Virendra Lodhi (20), Rampal Singh Lodhi (21), Jaipal Singh Lodhi (30), Akash Singh Lodhi (24), and Neeraj Singh Lodhi (25). All were residents of Pavla village in Jabalpur district. Two more deceased were yet to be identified.
Additional Superintendent of Police Sandeep Bhuria said the victims were standing on the roadside after returning from the picnic when the accident occurred. "The Hyva truck hit the group, and the driver fled the scene with the vehicle. A case has been registered, and teams have been formed to trace the accused," Bhuria said.
Police said preliminary investigation suggests the group had parked their vehicle and was taking photographs near the roadside when the truck struck them. Local residents rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help and informed the police.
The injured were shifted to the hospital, where two of them later died during treatment. ASP Bhuria said police were examining CCTV footage from the accident site and nearby areas to identify the vehicle and its driver. "We are scanning CCTV footage and collecting evidence from the spot.
The accused driver will be traced and arrested at the earliest," he said. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination before being handed over to the families. Further investigation into the accident is underway.