One Dead as Speeding Car Mows Down Dussehra Procession in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh

Two have been arrested while Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

A speeding car rammed through walking devotees. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Video Producer: Shohini Bose

Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam

In a shocking video that has gone viral on social media, one person has died and many have been injured after a speeding car rammed into a procession of Durga Puja devotees who were on their way to immerse the idol of Goddess Durga in Jashpur's Pathalgaon in Chhattisgarh.

According to the Block Medical Officer James Minj, 16 people were hospitalised due to the ghastly incident while x-rays confirmed that two of them had suffered fractures, and were being referred to another hospital, according to the Times of India.

Superintendent of Police in Jashpur spoke to news agency ANI later in the day and stated that the Pathalgaon Station House Officer line had been attached and assistant sub-inspector was suspended.

The furious devotees and other locals chased down the car – a Mahindra Xylo – and found it abandoned.

Jashpur Police have arrested two individuals, named Bablu Vishwakarma and Shishupal Sahu, in connection with the incident. Both are residents of Madhya Pradesh and were passing through Chhattisgarh, according to ANI.

A First Information Report (FIR) will be registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Pathalgaon SHO said.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel tweeted his condolences, and stated that the situation was under control.

"We've arrested the culprits and also suspended the ASI. The SP, Collector and local MLA have reached there and situation is under control," ANI reported Baghel as saying.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth N Singh alluded to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and stated, "It's unfortunate, seems a conspiracy. I want to ask when are Congress' brother-sister going over there. CM who sat on protest at airport should also tell if he'll sit on protest over there. We want investigation, guilty to be arrested," ANI reported.

(With inputs from NDTV, Times of India, and ANI.)