With another victim succumbing to injuries on Saturday, the death toll in Friday night’s fatal truck-SUV collision increased to eight.
The incident took place around 9.30 pm on the Raipur- Jagdalpur highway (NH-30) near Dudhgaon village about 3 km from Kotwali police station when the Mahindra Bolero (CG-07, T-4099) was heading towards Jagdalpur.
The vehicle collided head-on with the truck (MH-40, M-5389) coming from the opposite direction, leaving three people, including the SUV driver, dead on the spot.
Five others succumbed during treatment at a local hospital. One injured woman was undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The deceased have been identified as SUV driver Sundarlal Diwan (45), Basanti Baghel (35), Lalita Bharati (35), Chhaya Bharati (10), Lakheshwari Markole (27), Govind Baghel (35), Faraslal Baghel (45) and Divya Poyam (12). Gomati Baghel (35) was severely injured, police said.
Police have registered a case against the truck driver under section 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing injury by rash act) and 304 (A) (causing death due to rash and negligent act) of IPC and further investigation is underway. Efforts were on to trace the truck driver who fled the spot after the mishap.