Chhindwara road accident leaves family devastated completely:Father, brother lost earlier, now mother dies, leaving grandmother and daughter alone

Five days after the road accident in Pandhurna that claimed 10 lives, grief continues to haunt families in the villages of Chhindwara district. The victims were returning from a Chief Minister’s event held on March 26 when the accident occurred. Villages Karer and Bhandarkund remain engulfed in mourning. Rituals on the third day were performed on Sunday, but as families returned home after collecting ashes, cries of grief echoed once again. Out of the 10 people killed in the accident, five belonged to the same village—three women and two men. The accident has shattered multiple families, leaving behind elderly members and children with no support. In several homes, cooking has not resumed for days, with neighbors stepping in to provide food and support. The atmosphere across the villages is marked by silence, sorrow, and a lingering hope for lost loved ones. The Dainik Bhaskar’s team reached Karer village and understood the pain of the victim’s families. Read the report… Only grandmother and daughter survive In one of the worst-hit families, Sia Ivnati lost her life in the accident, leaving behind her 17-year-old daughter Sheetali and elderly mother Kundibai. Sheetali says she cannot comprehend what lies ahead. “I don’t feel like going inside the house. It feels like everything in life is over,” she said. The family owns three acres of farmland, but it was not enough to sustain them, forcing her parents to work as laborers alongside farming. A series of personal tragedies The family had already suffered multiple losses. Sheetali’s father died of electrocution in 2019, when she was just 10 years old. Her mother then took responsibility for the family. In 2023, her younger brother also died in an accident. The loss deeply affected her mother, but she eventually resumed work to support the family. Due to financial hardship, Sheetali dropped out of school after Class 9 and began working as a laborer alongside her mother. Daughter missed the fatal journey Preparations were underway in the village to attend the Chief Minister’s program. A bus arranged by the village secretary took several villagers, including Sheetali’s mother. Her mother had asked her to join, but she stayed back to care for her grandmother—unaware it would save her life. The news of the accident came late at night, and the next day, her mother’s body was brought home. Other victims and Families Other victims from the village lived nearby, and their families are facing similar grief: Relatives from distant areas continue to arrive in Karer and Bhandarkund. Each arrival triggers fresh waves of mourning, with women breaking down in tears. Even after five days, many homes have not lit their stoves, and the grief remains as raw as ever.