Ratlam pediatrician, father-in-law killed in Ratlam-Indore highway crash; 5 hurt
Synopsis
A late-night highway crash on the Ratlam-Indore four-lane has killed a serving government pediatrician and his 80-year-old father-in-law after their car allegedly struck a culvert divider when the driver dozed off. Five other family members, including two 7-year-old girls, remain hospitalised.
Key Takeaways
Manish Singh , pediatrician at Government Children's Hospital, Ratlam , died on the spot in the crash on 13 July at around 3:30 am .
His father-in-law Shivnarayan Rajauria , 80 , succumbed to injuries at Government Medical College Hospital, Ratlam on Monday morning.
Five other family members — including Dr.
Singh's wife, two young daughters, and the driver and his wife — sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.
Police say preliminary investigation indicates driver Ajay Gupta dozed off, causing the MG Hector to hit a culvert divider on the Ratlam-Indore four-lane highway near Dharad .
Singh had previously served as Deputy Director, National Health Mission, Bhopal and held additional charge as CMHO Ratlam in June.
A case has been registered; investigation is ongoing.
A pediatrician and his 80-year-old father-in-law were killed and five other family members injured in a road accident on the Ratlam-Indore four-lane highway in the early hours of Sunday, 13 July, police confirmed on Monday. The crash has claimed the life of a serving government doctor and left his entire family hospitalised.
What Happened
Dr. Manish Singh, a pediatrician at the Government Children's Hospital, Ratlam, died on the spot after the vehicle he was travelling in rammed into a culvert divider near the toll plaza past Dharad at around 3:30 am. His father-in-law, Shivnarayan Rajauria, 80, who was critically injured in the crash, succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Ratlam on Monday morning.
The family was travelling in an MG Hector (registration MP-04-CZ-5519) from Bhopal to Ratlam when the accident occurred. According to police, preliminary investigation suggests the driver, Ajay Gupta, dozed off at the wheel, causing the vehicle to go out of control and strike the divider.
The Impact and Rescue
'The preliminary investigation suggests the driver dozed off at the wheel, due to which the vehicle went out of control and hit the divider of the culvert,' Bilpank Station House Officer Ayub Khan said. The front portion of the car was severely mangled, trapping all occupants inside.
An ambulance from the nearby toll plaza and a police team from Bilpank police station reached the scene promptly. Assistant Sub-Inspector Samsu Agrawal and his team, aided by local residents, extracted the injured and rushed them to the Government Medical College Hospital in Ratlam.
Who Was in the Vehicle
Besides Dr. Singh and Rajauria, the other occupants — all injured and undergoing treatment — have been identified as Dr. Singh's wife Stephanie Gupta, their two daughters Raina and Sayana (both aged 7), driver Ajay Gupta, and his wife Lovelina Gupta.
About Dr. Manish Singh
Dr. Singh, a native of Gwalior, had been posted at Ratlam for approximately a year. Prior to his posting, he served as Deputy Director with the National Health Mission in Bhopal. In June, he had also held additional charge as Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Ratlam for over a month, during the leave of then-CMHO Dr. Sandhya Belsare.
Investigation Underway
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway, police said. This accident is among a series of fatal highway crashes recorded on the Ratlam-Indore corridor, where night driving and driver fatigue have repeatedly been cited as contributing factors. Authorities have not yet indicated whether charges will be filed against the driver.
Point of View
Yet enforcement of fatigue-driving rules remains minimal. India loses tens of thousands of lives to road accidents annually, and a disproportionate share involve drowsy or fatigued drivers on inter-city highways — a category that rarely receives the policy attention given to drunk driving. The loss of Dr. Singh, who was also holding additional administrative charge as CMHO, underscores the human cost beyond the statistics.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the victims in the Ratlam-Indore highway accident on 13 July?
The two fatalities were Dr. Manish Singh , a pediatrician at Government Children's Hospital, Ratlam, and his father-in-law Shivnarayan Rajauria , 80. Five other family members sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at Government Medical College Hospital, Ratlam.
What caused the Ratlam-Indore highway crash?
According to police, preliminary investigation suggests the driver, Ajay Gupta, dozed off at the wheel, causing the MG Hector to go out of control and strike a culvert divider near the toll plaza past Dharad at around 3:30 am on Sunday.
Where exactly did the accident occur?
The crash took place on the Ratlam-Indore four-lane highway near a small culvert divider before the toll plaza past Dharad, in the jurisdiction of Bilpank police station, Madhya Pradesh.
What was Dr. Manish Singh's professional background?
Dr. Singh was a pediatrician posted at Government Children's Hospital in Ratlam for about a year. He previously served as Deputy Director with the National Health Mission in Bhopal and held additional charge as Chief Medical and Health Officer of Ratlam in June.
What action has police taken after the accident?
A case has been registered by Bilpank police station. Further investigation is underway. Police have not yet confirmed whether charges will be filed against driver Ajay Gupta, who also sustained injuries in the crash.
