A devastating accident on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway early Friday morning resulted in the deaths of five people after an XUV700 shot off the roadway and crashed into a deep ditch near the Mahi river in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district. CCTV surveillance from the area recorded the SUV swerving violently before breaking past the side railing and disappearing into the ditch.

Car Breaks Railing, Plunges Into Ditch

Authorities said the incident took place near Bhimpura village between 7 and 7:30 am. The SUV, registered as MH03 EL 1388, was travelling from Delhi in the direction of Gujarat when the driver lost control moments before the Mahi river bridge. Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar briefed, “The car was heading towards Mumbai from Delhi. The vehicle broke the expressway barrier after the driver lost control and plunged into a ditch.”

Investigators believe excessive speed, nearly 150 kmph, according to NHAI officials may have played a key role. They also haven’t ruled out fatigue, with early inputs hinting the driver might have briefly dozed off.

Five From Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Vadodara Killed on the Spot

All five passengers died instantly. The victims were identified as Ghulam Rasool (70), Khalis Choudhary, Abdul Ghulam Choudhary, Danish Choudhary (15) and the driver Durgesh Prasad (35). They were residents of Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Vadodara. Local villagers assisted police teams in pulling the heavily damaged vehicle from the ditch. The bodies have been transported to Dr. Lakshmi Narayan Pandey Government Medical College in Ratlam, where post-mortem examinations will be carried out after the families arrive.

Footage from the scene shows the front and roof of the car ripped apart, with the number plate and bumper pieces scattered several metres away. Rawti police have begun a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, which has renewed concerns about speeding and safety enforcement on the newly built expressway.