TWO were killed and a dozen were injured when a speeding car rammed into a group of labourers at Ekta Chowk under the jurisdiction of Barela police station, on Sunday. The incident occurred around 2 pm at Ekta Chowk, when a white car coming from Barela towards Jabalpur lost control and ran over a group of labourers who were sitting near the road divider after cleaning iron grills installed there. After hitting the workers, the car fled from the spot. Two women, identified as Chainwati Bai (38) and Lachho Bai (38), died on the spot.

 

Around 12 labourers were injured in the incident and two of them are reported to be critical undergoing treatment at the hospital. All the injured were immediately shifted to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College Hospital, Jabalpur, where they are undergoing treatment. On receiving information about the incident, Collector Raghvendra Singh and Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay reached the medical college and reviewed the treatment arrangements.

 

They issued necessary instructions to doctors to ensure proper and timely medical care for the injured. According to police, the deceased and injured labourers are residents of Biharharia village under Bichhiya police station area of Mandla district and had been working as labourers in Jabalpur for the past one and a half months. SHO of Barela Police Station Anil Patel said that a search operation has been started to trace the absconding car driver.

 

CCTV footage from nearby areas and toll plazas is being examined and the accused will be arrested soon. The injured have been identified as Gomti Bai (40), Rajkumari (37), Varsha Bai (39), Akalvati Bai (36), Prabhavati Bai (40), Meera Bai (38), Jamna Bai (35), Gyanvati (41), Bhagvati Bai (37), Laxmi Bai (39) and Chhoti Bai (36).