According to the police, the horrific incident occurred in the early hours of August 7, when six boys from Katli village in Gadchiroli district had gone for their morning walk around 5 am. While they were exercising along the Katli-Nagri Phata road, a speeding truck travelling from Gadchiroli to Armori ran over the children
The police have seized the vehicle involved in the accident and arrested two suspects in the matter. Pic/Gadchiroli Police
After more than 48 hours of relentless investigation, the Gadchiroli Police in Maharashtra arrested the truck driver and his accomplice allegedly responsible for a tragic accident that claimed the lives of four children in Katli village of the district, police said on Saturday.
According to the police, the horrific incident occurred in the early hours of August 7, when six boys from Katli village in Gadchiroli district had gone for their morning walk around 5 am. While they were exercising along the Katli-Nagri Phata road, a speeding truck travelling from Gadchiroli to Armori ran over the children.
Two boys died on the spot, and two others succumbed to their injuries during treatment at the District General Hospital in Gadchiroli. The remaining two children, aged 13 and 14, were critically injured and were flown by helicopter to a private hospital in Nagpur, where they underwent surgery. Doctors have reported that both are now in a stable condition, police said.
Following the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that he was extremely pained by the unfortunate and tragic accident.
"Extremely pained by the unfortunate, tragic accident on the Armori - Gadchiroli highway in Gadchiroli District where 4 youth lost their life. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. We stand with them in this tough moment of grief and loss. 2 youths have been injured in this accident and are currently receiving medical treatment at Gadchiroli General Hospital. Chopper arrangements are made to airlift them to Nagpur. They will be moved to Nagpur for further medical treatment within 1 hour. An ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh will be provided to the families of the deceased, and the State Government will bear all the expenses towards the medical treatment for the injured," he wrote in a post on X.
Following the accident, a case was registered at Gadchiroli Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as under the Motor Vehicles Act, against an unknown truck driver.
Superintendent of Police, Nilotpal, formed five special teams to investigate the entire matter and trace the absconding drive of the vehicle involved in the incident.
The police used CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts, and technical evidence to track the vehicle, which was later seized from Chhattisgarh. Forensic support was provided by experts from Nagpur’s forensic lab.
The arrested driver was later identified as Pravin Balakrishna Kolhe (26) and his co-driver as Sunil Shriram Margaye (47), both from Chichgad, Deori taluka, Gondia district in Maharashtra.
An operation to nab the culprits was carried out under the guidance of SP Nilotpal, Addl. SP M. Ramesh, Addl. SP Gokul Raj G., and SDPO Suraj Jagtap. Investigations are ongoing under Inspector Vinod Chavan, along with officers and personnel from Gadchiroli Police Station and the Local Crime Branch, the police said.
"The two were arrested and are now in police custody. The will be soon presented before the court," said an official.
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