Chhattisgarh road accident: 4 killed on NH-53, 2 children among dead
Synopsis
A family of five travelling on a single scooter on NH-53 in Chhattisgarh collided with a parked tractor, killing four — including two sisters and two girls aged 4 and 7 — just two days after the elder child's birthday. The lone survivor, an eight-year-old boy, is in the ICU at AIIMS Raipur.
Key Takeaways
Four members of the Nirmalkar family were killed on NH-53 between Durg and Raipur in Chhattisgarh on 16 July .
The deceased are Amrita Nirmalkar (28) , her sister Lakshmi Nirmalkar (26) , and Amrita's daughters Yachna (7) and Dali (4) .
Their scooter rammed into a stationary tractor loaded with oxygen cylinders on the national highway.
Amrita's son Bhavesh (8) survived with serious injuries and is in the ICU at AIIMS Raipur .
Tractor driver Bhola Yadav has been detained; police are investigating whether the vehicle was properly indicated.
The family had celebrated Yachna's birthday on 14 July , just two days before the fatal crash.
Four members of a family, including two young girls and two sisters, were killed in a road accident on National Highway-53 between Durg and Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, 16 July, after their scooter collided with a stationary tractor loaded with oxygen cylinders. A fifth member, an eight-year-old boy, survived with serious injuries and is being treated in intensive care.
What Happened
According to police, five members of the Nirmalkar family were travelling on a single scooter from Somni in Bhilai-3 to their maternal uncle's residence in Vasant Vihar, Raipur, when the vehicle struck the rear of a parked tractor on the highway. The impact was severe enough to kill four of the five occupants on the spot.
The deceased were identified as Amrita Nirmalkar (28), her sister Lakshmi Nirmalkar (26), and Amrita's daughters Yachna (7) and Dali (4). Amrita's son Bhavesh (8) sustained critical injuries and is currently in the ICU at AIIMS Raipur.
A Birthday Just Days Before the Tragedy
Amrita's husband, Lokesh Nirmalkar, told police the family had celebrated Yachna's seventh birthday just two days prior, on 14 July — making the loss all the more devastating. He confirmed that his wife, both daughters, son, and sister-in-law were all on the scooter at the time of the crash.
Police Response and Investigation
The accident falls under the jurisdiction of the Kumhari police station. Authorities have seized the tractor involved and detained its driver, Bhola Yadav, for questioning. The bodies have been sent to the Supela mortuary for post-mortem examinations.
Investigators are examining whether the stationary tractor was adequately marked or lit to warn oncoming traffic, and whether additional factors contributed to the collision. This comes amid persistent concerns about road safety on national highways in Chhattisgarh, where overloaded and poorly parked heavy vehicles have been linked to multiple fatal accidents in recent years.
Broader Road Safety Context
Road fatalities on Indian national highways remain a serious public health concern. Stationary heavy vehicles on live carriageways — particularly at night or in low-visibility conditions — are a recurring cause of rear-end collisions. The NH-53 corridor between Durg and Raipur is a high-traffic industrial route, frequently used by heavy freight vehicles. Authorities have yet to confirm the exact time of the accident or whether the tractor was parked in violation of road regulations.
Point of View
Where heavy vehicles routinely park on live carriageways without adequate warning signals. The fact that five people were travelling on a single scooter also points to the economic realities that force dangerous road behaviour. Investigators must determine not just whether Bhola Yadav parked illegally, but why a loaded tractor was stationary on a high-speed corridor with no apparent safeguards. Without structural enforcement, such accidents will keep recurring on the same stretches of road.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on NH-53 in Chhattisgarh on 16 July?
A family of five travelling on a scooter collided with a stationary tractor loaded with oxygen cylinders on National Highway-53 between Durg and Raipur. Four members — two sisters and two young girls — died on the spot, while an eight-year-old boy survived with critical injuries.
Who were the victims of the Chhattisgarh road accident?
The deceased were Amrita Nirmalkar (28), her sister Lakshmi Nirmalkar (26), and Amrita's daughters Yachna (7) and Dali (4). Amrita's son Bhavesh (8) is the sole survivor and is currently in the ICU at AIIMS Raipur.
Has anyone been arrested in connection with the accident?
Police have detained tractor driver Bhola Yadav for questioning and seized the vehicle. Investigators are examining whether the tractor was properly indicated while parked on the highway, though no formal arrest has been confirmed as yet.
Where is the surviving child being treated?
Bhavesh Nirmalkar (8), the only survivor, is undergoing treatment in the ICU at AIIMS Raipur following the crash. His condition is described as serious.
What is the significance of the timing of this accident?
According to Lokesh Nirmalkar, the family had celebrated his daughter Yachna's seventh birthday on 14 July, just two days before the fatal crash on 16 July. The family was on their way to a relative's home in Vasant Vihar, Raipur, at the time of the accident.
