IN yet another horrendous road accident, three villagers were killed after being run over by an unidentified vehicle while on their routine morning walk along the Bharatmala Highway near Dongri-Korbi village in State’s Janjgir-Champa district. The driver fled the scene, prompting police to launch a search with the help of CCTV footage from the area. Police said the accident occurred between 4 am and 5 am. The victims were identified as Dilharan Das Vaishnav (62), Kedar Yadav (52) and Santu Yadav (70), all residents of Dongri-Korbi village. They had walked about two kilometres from their homes when the speeding vehicle struck them. The impact was so severe that all three men died at the scene. Their bodies were found at different points along the highway.

 

Local residents alerted the police after discovering the victims. Officers from Baloda Police Station reached the spot, conducted the necessary legal formalities and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination. The bodies were later handed over to their families. Vaishnav was a retired branch manager of a cooperative society, while Yadav and Santu were farmers. The three were close friends who made it a habit to go for morning walks together. Police are examining CCTV footage from the vicinity to identify the vehicle involved and trace the driver. An investigation into the hit-and-run is under way. City Superintendent of Police Yogita Bali Khaparde said the victims had left home for their routine morning walk when they were struck by the unidentified vehicle. She said police teams were working to identify the vehicle and apprehend the driver responsible for the accident.