Five killed in car-bus crash in Jagdalpur; Chhattisgarh CM expresses grief, hails deceased cop

Both the CM and his office tweeted a recent video of Sethia in which he can be seen praising Baghel.Sethia was currently posted in Jagdahspur Police Lines, and had earlier served in Naxalite-affected Sukma district, the CSP said.

Five men, including a police constable, were killed after the car they were travelling in collided with a bus packed with passengers in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Friday, an official said.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the day near Metawada village on the National Highway-30 under Kotwali police station limits, Jagdalpur City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Hemsagar Sidar said.

The private bus with around 35 passengers on board was heading to Jagdalpur from state capital Raipur when it collided head on with the car coming from the opposite direction, resulting in the death of four occupants of the car on the spot, including a policeman, he said.

''Another occupant of the car succumbed to injuries while being shifted to the hospital.

The deceased were identified as police constable Abhishekh Sethia, Dinesh Sethia, Gautam Gain, and Sachin Sethia, all natives of Jagdalpur, and Shakib Khan of Sukma,'' the CSP said, adding no occupant of the bus was hurt.

The bus driver, who fled the scene after the accident, was later arrested, Sidar said, adding further investigation was underway. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the crash, while the CMO tweeted that police jawan Abhisehkh Sethia had ''won everyone's heart with his liveliness and impeccable style''.

The CM also tweeted that he had seen a video of the deceased constable on social media. Both the CM and his office tweeted a recent video of Sethia in which he can be seen praising Baghel.

Sethia was currently posted in Jagdahspur Police Lines, and had earlier served in Naxalite-affected Sukma district, the CSP said.

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