NEW DELHI, DHAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the recent road accident in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. In a statement on X, the Prime Minister said he was “deeply pained” by the tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
“Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in an accident in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. Prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured”, the Prime Minister said.
Deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives in an accident in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. Prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 29, 2026
Announcing financial assistance, the PMO stated that an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be given to the next of kin of the deceased, while the injured will receive Rs 50,000.
A devastating road accident in the Dhar district has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including several children and teenagers, after an overloaded pickup vehicle lost control and flipped over on the road.
The vehicle was reportedly carrying approximately 46 passengers at the time of the mishap. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the villages of Nayapura, Semlipura, and Rampura, as the majority of the deceased were women and young children.
Local authorities and medical professionals have confirmed that while 15 have perished, the death toll could rise as 8 to 10 survivors remain in extremely critical condition.
Young lives cut short include Tanu/Omesh, a 9-year-old girl; Kiran, a 9-year-old girl; Sumit, a 14-year-old boy; Aayush, a 14-year-old boy; and Gokul, a 15-year-old boy. The hospital “brought dead” list includes women ranging from age 19 to 45, including Rinku (19), Ranjana (20), Savitri (30), and Kanta (45), among others.
Indore Divisional Commissioner Dr Sudam Khade visited the hospital to oversee the medical response and officially verified the death toll. Khade said, “Approximately 46 people were travelling in a pickup vehicle. It overturned. Two to three people among the injured are in a serious condition. We have received information about 15 casualties.”
He added that the state government has taken note of the incident and directed that those critically injured be provided proper medical treatment. “The Chief Minister has ordered that those who have been gravely injured will receive proper treatment. He has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for each of the deceased and compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the injured,” Khade said.
Union Minister of State and Dhar-Mhow MP, Savitri Thakur, arrived at the hospital to meet with grieving families and survivors.
“Labourers had gone somewhere in a pickup truck. While returning, the pickup went out of control and rolled three times… Those seriously injured have been referred to Indore. The Chief Minister also took immediate notice… I believe that mainly the driver is at fault. The vehicle was at such a high speed that he was unable to control it…,” she said.
While the local administration is still investigating the exact cause of the crash, initial reports suggest that severe overloading was a major factor. The pickup, designed for much smaller loads, was carrying nearly 46 people when it became uncontrollable.
The victims, many of whom were young children and teenagers, have been identified in a “brought dead” list from the hospital. A large number of the deceased were women from the nearby villages of Nayapura, Semlipura, and Rampura.
The tragic incident occurred when a pickup vehicle lost control and flipped over on the road. Dr Chhatrapal Singh Chauhan, the duty doctor at District Bhoj Hospital, confirmed the fatalities among those brought to the facility.
“A pickup vehicle crashed with about 35 people on board. All patients have been brought here. Between 10-15 people have died, and the condition of 8 to 10 patients remains extremely critical,” stated Dr Chauhan.
The MP from the Dhar-Mhow constituency and Union Minister of State, Savitri Thakur, arrived at the hospital immediately. She met with the injured and their families, assuring them of all possible assistance. She also instructed doctors to provide the best possible medical care to the victims.
“We visited the hospital to meet those injured in the unfortunate incident. The government stands firmly with them during this time. I have issued clear instructions to the doctors to provide top-quality treatment without any negligence. We pray for their speedy recovery”, MP Savitri Thakur said.
Critically injured patients are being referred to Indore for advanced medical treatment after receiving primary care. Local administration is investigating the cause of the accident. Initial reports suggest the vehicle was overloaded beyond its capacity, which may have been a major contributing factor to this painful tragedy. (ANI)
