12 dead, several injured after a pickup truck collides with SUV in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar

Twelve people died on the spot, while 10 critically injured victims were referred to MY Hospital in Indore.

Updated on: Apr 30, 2026, 06:25:14 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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At least 12 people, including two children, were killed and 23 others injured after a pickup truck carrying labourers overturned after colliding with an SUV on the Indore–Ahmedabad National Highway in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night, police said.

The accident occurred around 8:30 pm near a petrol pump in Chikaliya Phata. (Representational Image)

The accident occurred around 8:30 pm near a petrol pump in Chikaliya Phata. Preliminary reports suggest 35 labourers were in the pickup truck, returning from work in an onion field.

“The pickup truck was at high speed and the driver lost control. The vehicle overturned three or four times, veered to the opposite side of the road, and collided with a Scorpio,” Dhar Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi said.

Twelve people died on the spot, while 10 critically injured victims were referred to MY Hospital in Indore. Eleven others are being treated at the district hospital in Dhar.

Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Hasani said that hospitals have been placed on alert, with instructions to ensure the best possible treatment for those brought in from Dhar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy. “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,” he posted on X.

An ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and ₹50,000 for the injured was announced.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav directed the Indore Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General to rush to Dhar and oversee medical arrangements. “Treatment for all the injured will be provided free of cost. I have issued instructions to provide financial assistance of ₹4 lakh each to the families of the deceased, ₹1 lakh each to those critically injured, and ₹50,000 each to the injured,” the CM said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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