Four killed, five hurt as speeding truck hits SUV on way to Narmada dip in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar

Four people were killed and five others injured on Monday morning when a speeding truck and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) collided head-on in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, officials said.

According to Sagar Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Sinha, the accident took place on National Highway 44 near Gopalpura, which falls under the Deori police station area.

A preliminary inquiry found that the occupants of the SUV were residents of Bhainsa village. They had hired the vehicle to travel to Barman for a holy dip in the Narmada river on the occasion of Amavasya.

Sinha said, "After the collision, the people in the SUV were trapped inside. The police and people nearby pulled them out of the vehicle and took them to hospital. The front of the car was badly smashed in the accident."

He said three people died on the spot, while one died during treatment at a hospital.

All five injured have been admitted to the Bundelkhand Medical College and Hospital, where they are being treated.

The police have registered a case. The truck driver fled after the accident, and efforts are on to trace and arrest him.

Local MLA Pradeep Lariya visited the medical college, met the injured and enquired after their condition.

He asked the administration to ensure the injured receive proper treatment and that financial assistance be given to the families of the dead.