A car ran over a group of devotees heading to immerse an idol of Goddess Durga in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, resulting in the death of one person and injuring at least 16 others. The deceased has been identified as Gaurav Aggarwal, who is a resident of Pathalgaon in Jashpur. As per NDTV report, the injured have been admitted to the Pathalgaon Civil Hospital for treatment.

Block Medical Officer James Minj told ANI that two of the injured were being referred to other hospitals due to fractures. The car, which was a maroon Mahindra Xylo, had a Madhya Pradesh number plate. It sped away after mowing down the people while driving towards Sukhrapara close by. 

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When locals chased after the vehicle, they found it abandoned by the side of the road. The car had been driven into the ditch with the driver-side door open, and windows shattered.

According to the office of the district’s Superintendent of Police, “two accused have been arrested and charged. The first is 21-year-old Bablu Vishwakarma and the second is 26-year-old Shishupal Sahu. Both are residents of Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district, and were passing through Chhattisgarh.”

Earlier this month five people were mowed down by a car owned by Union Minister Ajay Mishra and reportedly being driven by his son Ashish in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Four were farmers; the fifth was a journalist.

The convoy of vehicles further ran over a group of people who were protesting against the minister’s visit. Three others, including two BJP workers, lost their lives in the violence that ensued. 

After spending close to seven days without being held despite being named in the FIR (first information report), Ashish Mishra was arrested last week. The minister’s son has been denied bail by a local court. Ashish claimed he was in his paternal village, two km away, when the murders took place.