Five Killed, One Injured After Car Runs Over Villagers in Bihar’s Supaul
At least five people were killed and another injured after a speeding car ran over a group of villagers gathered near a temple in Bihar’s Supaul district on Tuesday evening, police said.
The accident occurred around 8 p.m. near the Bajrangbali temple on the Supaul-Pipra main road, where villagers had gathered for rituals linked to the Jhoolan festival. A vehicle hit six people standing near the roadside, according to Pipra police station house officer Kishore Kumar.
The five people who died were identified as Surendra Yadav, Tilayi Das, Raju Das, Bhubneswari Yadav and Krishna Mohan, all residents of Kataiya Goth village, police said. Post-mortem examinations have been completed.
The injured person was taken to a medical facility for treatment. Reports from other outlets, citing local officials, gave differing details about the number and identities of people initially injured, but the latest police account carried by NDTV and PTI said one person remained under treatment after six people were struck.
Driver fled after crash
Police said the driver fled the scene following the collision. Officers are searching for the vehicle and its driver, according to the Pipra SHO. No arrest had been reported in the latest account available on Wednesday evening.
The crash took place at Kataiya Chowk in the Pipra police station area on the Pipra-Supaul road, also identified in reports as NH-327E. A group had gathered beside the road for devotional activities when the vehicle struck them.
The circumstances that caused the driver to lose control have not been established by police. Reports have described the vehicle as speeding, but the investigation into the precise cause of the crash is continuing.
Protest after the deaths
The accident prompted anger among residents, who briefly blocked the Supaul-Pipra main road in protest. Senior officials, including Supaul Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer Manohar Kumar Sahu and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rajiv Ranjan, reached the area and helped persuade protesters to clear the road, police said.
District Magistrate Sawan Kumar said the families of the five victims would receive financial assistance of ₹4 lakh each, according to United News of India.
An account published by Public TV, citing an ANI video report, said three victims died at the scene while two others later died during treatment. That account also reported that JD(U) MLA Rambilash Kamat said the administration was examining whether negligence contributed to the accident.
The precise sequence of the collision and the circumstances surrounding the driver’s departure remain under investigation.
Police have completed the post-mortem examinations, while efforts to trace the driver are continuing. Further details are expected as investigators establish how the crash occurred and determine responsibility.
