Two women were killed on Saturday morning after a speeding car hit them on the Nagpur–Jabalpur National Highway No. 44. The accident took place around 10.30 am in front of a petrol pump near Kandri Mine village. The police have arrested the car driver. The deceased have been identified as Manda Dilip Upase (49) and Pramila Rajesh Shendre (41), both residents of Kandri Mine. According to police, the women were crossing the highway to go to a nearby farm where they worked.

 

As they reached close to the petrol pump, a speeding ‘Creta’ car (MH-05/FG-4776) coming from Nagpur and heading towards Jabalpur hit them from behind. The impact was so severe that both women died on the spot. Soon after the accident, the driver deserted the car near the Oriental Structural Engineering toll booth, a short distance away, and fled. Villagers set the car afire

 

A large number of villagers from Kandri, Khumari and nearby areas rushed to the spot after about the accident. Angry over the frequent accidents on the highway, they gathered on the road and blocked traffic. They set afire the abandoned car but some alert people quickly put out the flames and prevented the vehicle from burning completely. A police team, led by Police Inspector Arvind Katlam, reached the location, took custody of the bodies, and later handed them over to the families for last rites. Meanwhile, another police team began searching for the absconding driver. Within a short time, they arrested Sagar Hemandas Thakur (27), a resident of Ulhasnagar in Thane district.

 

He was found hiding near the toll booth. Police said that Thakur was travelling to Ujjain along with two other passengers when the incident occurred. The protest by villagers caused a complete traffic-jam on National Highway No. 44, leading to long queues of vehicles on both sides. A case has been registered at Ramtek Police Station, and further investigation is on.