2 killed, 7 injured as SUV heading to PM Modi's function in Chhattisgarh falls off bridge

Gaurela (Chhattisgarh): Two persons were killed and seven sustained injuries after an SUV ferrying people to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's event in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur fell off a bridge and plunged into a river in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred around 9 am near Kotmi village in the Pendra police station limits, an official said.

He said the SUV, with eight persons onboard, was heading to Bilaspur from Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district.

The official said the SUV driver lost control of the wheel on reaching the bridge over the Son River, and the vehicle hit a woman pedestrian before plunging into the river.

The woman pedestrian and the driver died on the spot in the accident, while seven other occupants of the SUV sustained injuries, he said.

The deceased were identified as Ramita Bai, a resident of Pandrikhar village, and the driver, Babu Lal Chaudhary, the official said.

He said the injured were admitted to the Gaurela district hospital, and five are in critical condition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone, initiate commencement of work and dedicate multiple development projects worth more than Rs 33,700 crore in Mohbhattha village of Bilaspur district in the afternoon.