A 42-year-old man died after his motorcycle collided head-on with a loading vehicle on the Ichhapur-Warauli road in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur district on Monday, with villagers linking the crash to poor visibility at a bend covered by overgrown roadside bushes.
The deceased was identified as Manoj Madhav Ingle, a resident of Warauli village. The accident occurred within the limits of Shahpur police station, according to police. A local resident told the Times of India that the loading vehicle was travelling at high speed near a stepwell used by villagers to draw drinking water when it struck Ingle’s motorcycle.
After receiving information about the collision, the Dial 112 team of Shahpur police reached the spot. Police prepared an inquest report and sent Ingle’s body for post-mortem examination. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is under way.
Villagers alleged that bushes along the roadside have obstructed the view of motorists approaching the bend, making it difficult to see oncoming vehicles. They said they had repeatedly complained to the public works department about the vegetation but that the road had not been cleared.
Ravindra Patil, the representative of the village sarpanch, said the road was built by the PWD and that repeated requests for maintenance had not led to action. He said villagers had submitted a memorandum to the district collector and claimed that Monday’s crash was the third accident at the location. Those claims could not be independently established from the information available.
Patil also said the contractor responsible for the work had been reminded several times, but allegedly responded that his machinery was out of order. Villagers have demanded the immediate removal of the bushes and repairs to the road. The PWD’s response to the complaints, the road’s maintenance history and the condition of the bend were not available in the report.
