Three persons died of different reasons after being stuck in a 32-hour-long traffic jam near the Arjun Baroda village on the Indore-Dewas bypass in Madhya Pradesh. As per information, the almost 8-km-long jam was caused by the ongoing six-lane road construction.
Among the deceased were a 65-year-old farmer who suffered a cardiac arrest, a 55-year-old cancer patient whose oxygen cylinder was exhausted, and a 32-year-old security guard who had suffered a heart attack but died in the jam before his family could reach him to a hospital.
The opposition Congress on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP state government over the grave mismanagement and the tragic loss of three lives.
The Congress demanded a compensation of Rs one crore for each deceased. It also demanded the registration of a case of culpable homicide against officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the contractor.
Congress state spokesperson Amit Chaurasia alleged, “This was not an accident, but homicide due to negligence.”
The deceased included Kamal Panchal, a farmer, who suffered a cardiac arrest while being stuck in the jam with his family in a car.
A cancer patient, Balram Patel, travelling with his family died inside his vehicle after two oxygen cylinders got exhausted.
Sandeep Patel, who had experienced chest pain and was being taken to a hospital by his family, also succumbed while being stuck in the jam, before his family could reach him to a hospital for treatment.
Following the incidents and the outrage, Indore Collector Asheesh Singh summoned an emergency meeting. Several officials and personnel of the district administration, police and traffic police were rushed to the area to clear the snarl.
Alternative routes were opened up, and paver blocks along with other materials were laid on the diverted routes, which had become almost unmotorable due to mud, and craters caused by rain.