Truck crashes into wedding procession, injures five

Raipur: Five people, including four women, were injured, one of them critically, after a heavy "capsule" vehicle allegedly lost control and ploughed into a group of baraatis dancing to DJ music near a wedding venue late Wednesday night in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district, police said.The incident was reported around 10 pm on the main road at Ghivra village in the Birra region when a wedding procession from Pendrawan in neighbouring Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district arrived at Bhatapara in Birra for the marriage at the residence of Rathoo Dewangan, locals said.Police said the baraat reached the gate and preparations were underway for the traditional "parghani" welcome when the speeding vehicle, coming from the Shivrinayaran side, veered towards the roadside cluster of guests near the tent and struck them. The vehicle then hit the tent structure, triggering chaos as people ran for cover and others rushed to pull the injured away.Police identified the injured women as Bhuri Bai (65), Radhika Dewangan and Redhuka Dewangan (55), who were treated locally. A fourth woman, Usa Bai Dewangan (53), suffered serious injuries after the wheel reportedly ran over her thigh, and she was referred to Bilaspur in critical condition, police said.Among those hurt was Tara Chand Dewangan, the district Congress president of Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, who sustained injuries in the impact, officials said.Angry guests reportedly caught the driver and assaulted him before police arrived. Birra police later detained the driver, seized the vehicle and registered a case. During questioning, the driver claimed he had dozed off at the wheel, leading to the crash, police said, adding that the circumstances were being verified.A video clip of the incident surfaced on social media, showing the vehicle entering the wedding crowd and the stampede-like scramble that followed, as guests scattered and others rushed towards the injured.