A truck driver who allegedly ran over an 11-year-old girl and tried to flee was arrested after a dramatic 60-kilometre police chase across Chhattisgarh on Friday, officials said.
The pursuit, which lasted nearly two hours and was captured in videos that later circulated on social media, ended just short of the Maharashtra border when the truck went out of control and veered off the road, a news agency PTI report said.
Girl killed on the spot
The incident began in Gundardehi village under the Ambagarh Chowki police station limits on the Rajnandgaon-Manpur road. According to district Additional Superintendent of Police Pitambar Patel, the speeding truck struck the 11-year-old, Poonam, killing her on the spot.
Instead of stopping after the accident, the driver accelerated and headed towards Mohla in an apparent attempt to escape.
Ran through police barricades
Police were alerted soon after the accident and set up barricades outside the Mohla police station to intercept the vehicle. However, the driver allegedly ignored the police presence, rammed the rear of a parked truck near the station and broke through the barricades before speeding towards Manpur, the PTI added.
As the chase intensified, another checkpoint was established near the SDM office in Manpur. But the driver again tried to evade arrest. Police said he drove over the barricades, dragging them for some distance, before entering Manpur town.
During the pursuit, police personnel narrowly escaped being hit by the truck.
Chase ends near Maharashtra
The pursuit finally came to an end near Korkotti village, around six kilometres from the Maharashtra border. Officials said the truck went out of control and veered off the road, allowing police teams to detain the driver.
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The driver sustained injuries and was taken to Manpur hospital for treatment. Police said he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Back in Gundardehi village, residents staged a protest after the accident. Villagers placed the girl’s body on the road and blocked traffic for nearly two hours, demanding action against the accused.
The blockade was lifted only after senior police officials reached the spot and assured protesters that strict action would be taken.
Following a post-mortem examination, Poonam’s body was handed over to her family.
Police have registered a case against the driver and seized the truck, which bears a Maharashtra registration number.
(With PTI inputs)
