Three individuals lost their lives and four others sustained serious injuries after a speeding car crashed into a temporary tent and ran over a gathering near a Durga Puja pandal in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district on Saturday night. According to local law enforcement, a thorough investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
The tragedy occurred around 11 p.m. within the Belha gram panchayat under the Dehat police station jurisdiction, roughly 10 kilometers away from the district headquarters. Villagers had gathered inside the tent to watch projector screenings when the driver of a Ford vehicle reportedly lost control and slammed the automobile into a wall. The force of the collision was severe enough to hurl several attendees five to six feet into the air, triggering widespread panic and cries throughout the assembly.
Local residents mentioned that community members traditionally set up such screenings near the temple every Navratri to watch devotional programs and films related to Durga Puja. The approaching vehicle had come from the direction of Gaura Road before striking the crowd.
Following the crash, the driver abandoned the scene and fled. Authorities immediately deployed police teams, cordoned off the surrounding area, and sealed border points to intercept the suspect. Within an hour, the driver was successfully apprehended along with the seized vehicle and taken into custody for questioning.
Initial police inquiries indicate that the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision, though authorities emphasized that a comprehensive investigation is still underway. Circle officer Abhishek Singh confirmed the swift apprehension of the suspect.
The victims who died in the accident were identified as 42-year-old Pateshwari Prasad, 51-year-old Manoj Singh, and 45-year-old Ganesh Pandey. The four injured villagers—identified as Chhedi Ram, Ghop Ram, a person named as W, and Mukesh Tiwari—were initially transported to a local hospital. They were subsequently referred to a higher medical center in Bahraich for advanced treatment.