Eight people lost their lives, and 13 others were injured in a collision between a truck and an SUV in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district early Monday, police said.
The accident happened around 2:30 am near Upni petrol pump on Sidhi-Bahri Road, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Gayatri Tiwari. The SUV, which was being used as a taxi, was carrying a family to Maihar when it crashed head-on with a truck coming from Sidhi towards Bahri, she added.
Seven people in the SUV died on the spot. Among the 14 injured, nine were sent to Rewa for advanced treatment, where one of them later died, said Sidhi Superintendent of Police Ravindra Verma. The remaining injured are being treated at the Sidhi district hospital.
The police have detained the truck driver, Tiwari said. Verma stated that the family was traveling to Maihar for a child's 'mundan' (tonsuring) ceremony when the accident occurred. Initial investigations suggest that the SUV was coming from the wrong direction, which may have caused the crash.
A special team, led by an additional superintendent of police, has been formed to investigate the incident from all angles, he added.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences and announced financial aid. Families of the deceased will receive Rs 2 lakh each, while Rs 1 lakh will be given to those seriously injured and Rs 50,000 to others hurt in the accident.
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