Truck driver kills minor girl in Chhattisgarh, caught after dramatic 60-km police chase
An 11-year-old girl was killed after being run over by an allegedly drunk truck driver who later rammed through multiple police barricades before being arrested following a dramatic 60-km chase in Chhattisgarh's Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district on Friday.
According to police, the incident took place in Gunderdehi village on the Rajnandgaon-Manpur road when the speeding truck allegedly hit and killed the girl, identified as Poonam.
Instead of stopping, the driver fled towards Mohla, prompting a massive police operation.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pitambar Patel said officers first set up barricades outside the Mohla police station after receiving information about the accident.
However, the truck driver allegedly crashed into another parked truck, broke through the barricades, and continued speeding towards Manpur.
Police teams from Mohla and Manpur coordinated to intercept the vehicle, erecting another barricade near the SDM office in Manpur.
The driver allegedly ploughed through the second barricade as well, dragging it along before entering the town. Several police personnel narrowly escaped being hit during the incident.
The chase continued for nearly two hours across approximately 60 kilometres before the truck lost control near Korkotti village, about six kilometres from the Maharashtra border. Police then managed to stop the vehicle and arrest the driver.
The accused sustained injuries when the truck veered off the road and was shifted to Manpur Hospital for treatment.
The girl's death triggered protests in Gunderdehi village, where angry residents blocked the Rajnandgaon-Manpur road by placing her body on the highway.
Traffic remained disrupted for around two hours before senior police officials persuaded the protesters to end the blockade. Following the post-mortem examination, the girl's body was handed over to her family.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the law and said strict legal action will be taken against the accused.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the truck is registered in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Further investigation is underway.