Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 27 : Five people were killed while several others were injured after a speeding car collided with an auto-rickshaw near the Jain temple in the Thatipur area of Gwalior, police said on Friday.
The incident, which occurred around 3:00 AM, involved a speeding car that first collided with another car near the bus stand, prompting a police pursuit by First Response Vehicle (FRV). The driver of the speeding car continued to drive recklessly, and after hitting the auto-rickshaw carrying nine passengers, it crashed into a tree.
According to the police, the collision occurred near the Jain temple in Thatipur, ahead of the Parshuram intersection, when the speeding car hit the auto-rickshaw, which was returning from the Sheetla Mata Temple.
"Around 3:00 am tonight, a speeding Scorpio vehicle coming from the bus stand hit a car. Following this, the police vehicle FRV pursued it, but it continued at a high speed. Near the Jain temple in Thatipur, ahead of the Parshuram intersection, it hit an auto-rickshaw carrying passengers returning from the Sheetla Mata temple. The collision caused the auto to crash into a tree," Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Atul Kumar Soni told ANI.
According to CSP, there were a total of nine passengers in the auto, of whom five have died, while four others are currently receiving treatment at the Trauma Centre.
Post-mortem procedures for the deceased are also being carried out.
The deceased, all residents of Suresh Nagar, Thatipur, and some from Murar, were part of a family travelling back after visiting the Sheetla Mata Temple.
The driver of the speeding car, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, fled the scene after the initial collision but was later apprehended by the police.
When asked about the possible cause of the accident, CSP Soni revealed that family members of the victims had expressed suspicion that the speeding car driver may have been under the influence of alcohol. The driver has been sent for a medical examination to confirm this claim.
"The family members of the victims have expressed suspicion that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and was driving at a high speed. He is currently in police custody, and his medical examination is being conducted," CSP Soni further said.
At present, the driver remains in police custody, and further investigations are underway.
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