Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, May 12: A catastrophic road accident late Sunday night near Raipur, Chhattisgarh, claimed the lives of 13 people, including women and children, after a Swaraj Mazda van collided head-on with a trailer truck on the Raipur–Balodabazar highway near Bangoli village under Kharora police station limits.
The victims were returning home after attending a "Chhathi" ceremony—a traditional ritual held on the sixth day after a child’s birth—in Bano village, when tragedy struck. The ill-fated vehicle, bearing registration number CG 04 MQ 1259, was transporting relatives of Puneet Sahu from Chatod village. On their way back, the van collided with a trailer truck (registration number JH 05 DP 7584) near Saragaon, resulting in an impact so severe that 13 individuals died on the spot.
Among the deceased were nine women, two girls, a young boy, and a six-month-old infant. Several others sustained serious injuries in the crash.
District Collector Gaurav Singh confirmed the incident and described the swift response: “We received information around midnight and rushed emergency teams to the site. Thirteen people were declared dead, and 11 to 12 others were injured. After stabilising them at local facilities, the injured were shifted to Mekahara Hospital in Raipur for further treatment.”
Senior Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh elaborated, “The group was en route to Chatod after attending a family function when their vehicle collided with a trailer near Bangoli. The impact was devastating.”
BJP MLA Anuj Sharma expressed his condolences: “This is an unspeakable tragedy. So many lives lost in an instant. We are coordinating with the administration to ensure the injured receive the best medical care and the affected families receive support.”
Rescue operations were carried out under the supervision of senior officials, with emergency services, medical teams, and police units deployed immediately to the scene. The injured were initially treated at the Community Health Center in Kharora and later referred to Raipur Medical College (Mekahara) for advanced care.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the crash. Preliminary findings indicate that high speed and possible driver negligence may have led to the accident.
This tragic incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter enforcement of road safety laws and better regulation of night-time highway traffic.